Shopper stabbed with machete in Tesco car park after foiling masked robbery gang
A man was stabbed in a supermarket car park after foiling would-be dog thieves armed with a machete and a hammer.
The incident happened in the grounds of Tesco's Willenhall superstore after a gang of five men wearing masks appeared to attempt to break into a goods van carrying three animals.
The group at first retreated to a blue-coloured car after being disturbed by shoppers in the Owen Road car park on Friday afternoon at about 4.30.
But when a male shopper shouted at them, the gang pulled up and three of them set upon him. A machete-type weapon was then used to stabbed the passer-by, a witness told the Express & Star.
The man, aged in his 40s, was taken to hospital but is not believed to have been seriously hurt.
A woman, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisals, said: "I'd done my shopping and was going to my car and so was this other man when we saw these five men wearing masks next to a goods van. We must have disturbed them as we were parked nearby.
"The man shouted and they got into a blue car and drove off, but as they were leaving the man shouted again. The car stopped and three of them got out and ganged up on him.
"I was screaming at them to stop. One of them had a machete and one had a hammer. They were hitting him.
"Then they drove off and I stayed with the man. I knew he was hurt, but I couldn't see where he was hurt because it was dark. I phoned 999 and then the store staff came out to help
"When the paramedics came they said the man had been stabbed.
"It was really frightening. I told the police what I saw.
"When the owners of the van came out of the store and saw what was going on they said they had dogs inside the van.
"I didn't leave my house at all over the weekend because of what happened I'm still shaken up."
West Midlands Ambulance Service stated: "We were called to reports of a stabbing on the car park at Keyway Retail Park in Willenhall at 4.54pm on Friday. One ambulance, a paramedic officer and the Midlands Air Ambulance critical care car attended the scene.
"On arrival we discovered one male patient who was treated for injuries not believed to be serious before being taken to hospital for further treatment."
Tesco stated: “We are aware of an incident at our Willenhall store on Friday evening and are supporting police with their investigation."
West Midlands Police has comfirmed that officers were "investigating a stabbing" at the retail park.
"A man in his 40s was taken to hospital, thankfully his injuries were not life threatening. We understand that he tried to intervene after seeing an attempted break-in to a white goods van on a car park. Inquiries are ongoing," the force stated.
Anyone with information should contact the force's Live Chat via website west-midlands.police.uk quoting reference number 20/154898/22 or phone Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
