Jeweller recounts raid fight

A courageous shop owner has told of the moment he fought off robbers who tried to steal goods from his jewellers shop.

Three masked raiders armed with a hammer and sawn-off shotgun stormed into Hodgkins Jewellers in Rowley Regis.

They told staff at the shop in High Street to open the safe but 66-year-old Stuart Hodgkins ignored their threats and fought them off. He says that he has no regrets, never feared for his life and would do it again. He added: "I'd do it again, but it was all so quick, it was just a blur.

"I never really thought about what could have happened, other than it might sting a bit. All they said while they were here was 'Open the safes' – they didn't say anything else."

The three men were in the shop for about 30 seconds at 1.45pm on Monday, he said. Two of the men, one of them holding the hammer, climbed over the counter and ran into the back of the premises where they confronted a friend of Mr Hodgkins.

The third man watched the door and pointed his gun at a female customer, who was the sole person in the front of the shop.

Mr Hodgkins was out of sight from the raiders, and was able to take them by surprise as they went for his friend with the hammer. He said: "They just jumped over the counter, and my mate was with me in the back.

"They tried to hit him with a hammer but he put his arm out to stop them and I was behind them so I had a bit of an advantage and jumped on one of them and got the hammer off him."

The men left empty-handed in a Toyota Avensis.

One of the men is described as black, about 5ft 6in, thin, aged 25 to 27.

Call 101 or Crimestoppers with any information.