'I thought he was joking at first': Shopkeeper tells of moment he sent hammer raider packing

Balvinder Singh was behind the counter of his Nordley Stores off licence, on the corner of Nordley Road and Frederick Road, in Wednesfield, when a man dressed in a hooded sweatshirt burst in at around 11.15am demanding cash.

The man, believed to be in his 20s, produced a hammer and demanded that Mr Singh open the till.

• MORE: Hammer raider fled with SWEETS from Wednesfield off licence

The 59-year-old said: "I saw the hammer. But I wasn't scared. I thought he was joking at first. I was just surprised that he was there so early in the morning, the milkman was still outside you know.

"So I picked up my stick that I keep behind the counter and then he was the one that looked scared.

"He hit the lottery ticket stand with the hammer, but didn't do any damage, and grabbed a handful of sweets before he ran off."

Now police are appealing for information on the culprit and have released CCTV images of the suspect.

"It all went so fast. It felt like it was just seconds." Mr Singh said.

"I've always kept my stick behind the counter and now I'm glad. I was just hoping someone would spot him on the way out but nobody did.

"I asked people afterwards whether they saw him leaving. But nobody could recognise him because of his hood."

The incident on November 18 did have an impact on Mr Singh however.

"We're all just trying to make a living you know. You work for 10 to 12 hours a day and then someone comes in and demands the money. That's not right." He said.

"We're a small business, there was only about £30 in the till anyway.

"I have to laugh about it now because it could have been a lot worse. At least he only took some sweets."

Anyone with information is urged to contact PC Simon Williams by emailing simon.williams@west-midlands.pnn.police.uk.

Alternatively Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.