Moment shop owner throws chilli powder at knife-wielding robber

A shopkeeper fought off a knife-wielding robber by hurling chilli powder in his face.

The masked thug was sent running when he targeted the A1 Convenience Store in Kingstanding, Birmingham, just before it closed at 10.30pm on Saturday.

Dramatic CCTV shows the offender, dressed head-to-toe in black with a balaclava across his face, brandishing a large blade as he demands cash from the manager.

But the brave shopkeeper can be seen instinctively reaching beneath the counter before hurling a handful of the spice in the face of the crook.

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The stunned man stumbles back as he is engulfed in an orange cloud of the chilli powder and flees from the store in a panic.

The store owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, has released the footage in a bid to highlight the crime but has not reported the matter to police.

As a result, West Midlands Police have declined to comment on the incident.