'You've got an axe, but I've got a black belt': Martial arts expert fends off armed robbers at Halesowen Cashbrokers
This is the terrifying moment an axe-wielding masked thug tried to smash his way through the window of a pawnbrokers in broad daylight.
Shocked passers-by – including an elderly man – were forced to get out of the way as the raider jumped out of a BMW with an axe outside Cashbrokers in Halesowen and then battered the glass with the weapon.
Shop manager Henry Hunter – who is a martial arts expert – shouted at the raider and his getaway driver and ran out to confront the pair.
The thug, whose face was covered by a balaclava, dropped the axe seconds later and jumped back into the dark blue car which then sped off.
Mr Hunter, aged 55, was serving a customer as the drama unfolded. Rather than being scared by the sight of a pair of raiders, Mr Hunter said 'the toerags' are lucky he didn't get his hands on them. The terrifying raid was captured on the shop's CCTV.
Father-of-five Mr Hunter is a black belt in karate, judo and kendo, and a grandmaster in aikido, but has not practised for around 10 years. He said: "At the end of the day him having an axe didn't worry me. If I could've got out there in time I would've taken my chance – that doesn't bother me. I know I would've hit him first before he could've hit me."
Mr Hunter, who trained in martial arts for most of his life, was helping a customer when the two men pulled up outside the pawnbrokers in Queensway at around 10.30am on Tuesday.
Another staff member was replenishing the stock in the window when one of the would-be robbers ran up to the glass and struck it six or seven times.
Luckily the windows are bullet-proof so managed to withstand the force of the weapon.
Mr Hunter's attempts to confront the pair were slowed down by the security doors fitted at the shop. He said that just as he got through a second safety door the pair fled, dropping the axe on the pavement.
"I screamed at them and ran around to the other side to get out through the security doors," Mr Hunter, who lives in Bromsgrove, said.
"That's the thing to do when you're attacking someone – scream at them and let them know you won't be going anywhere.
"By the time I had got through the doors they had dropped the axe and got into the car. Then they sped off towards the bus station."
Following the attack Mr Hunter put up a defiant sign sayimg it was business as usual.
The raiders caused £1,500 worth of damage.
Mr Hunter said the pair were head to toe in dark clothing, and said they were in a dark or royal blue BMW 5-Series. He added: "I would've liked to have caught them."
Anyone with information should call police on 101.
