A KNIFE-wielding robber ran from a village shop after the manager threw cans of beer at him.


Detectives have appealed for information following the attempted robbery at Nisa in Kelvedon Hatch.
 

The masked man armed with a knife entered the shop in Blackmore Road at about 5.15pm on Sunday, July 29.


He approached a female member of staff, who was serving a customer at the time, and ordered her to open the till.
 

As the intruder started brandishing the knife at the staff member and customer, the manager rushed out from a storeroom and started throwing boxes of canned beer at the suspect who then fled empty-handed.


Aman Singh-Mann, 29, runs the shop and explained how he acted on impulse.


He said: "I was just out the back having a break when I heard the shouting.
"It was a man shouting 'open the till'. Straight away I knew I had to do something and I just acted on instinct.
"I went out and saw the man and he was waving the knife around.
"I grabbed the first thing I could and threw it at him."


Mr Singh-Mann threw six cases of Carling and hit the robber twice before he fled empty handed.
 

Mr Singh-Mann added: "I don't know if it was brave or not, we are just a close team here and I knew I had to do something.
"I'm just glad nobody was hurt."
 

Det Con Jo Phillips said: "This was an extremely frightening incident for the shop assistant and the customer who both feared for their safety when the man was waving the knife at them.
"The shop manager was in the storeroom when he heard the disturbance and rushed out and threw boxes of beer at the suspect.”
 

The intruder was white, aged between 20-30 and about 5ft 9in tall.
He was wearing jeans, a black jacket with the hood up and a dark scarf over his face.


Any witnesses or anyone with information about the suspect is urged to contact Det Con Phillips at the Basildon CID Target Offender Team on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.