Supermarket robber thwarted by customer, off-duty policeman
A man trying to hold up a supermarket in the northern Athenian suburb of Halandri met his match in a brave customer and an off-duty police officer on Tuesday.
According to the state-run Athens-Macedonian News Agency, an unidentified male customer tried to wrestle the gunman to the ground when he threatened cashiers at the supermarket on the corner of Pentelis Avenue and Pellis. The assailant hit him on the head with the butt of the weapon and tried to run away.
As it happened, an off-duty policeman was doing his shopping at the time and chased the gunman as the latter fled the store, firing one shot toward the officer. The policeman managed to disarm and immobilize the gunman before an emergency response squad summoned by the supermarket’s management arrived and took him into custody.
According to the report, the would-be robber is on furlough from prison, where he has been sentenced for drug-related offenses and robbery.
The customer was being treated for his injury.
