Have-a-go-hero granddad fearlessly snatches £50,000 of stolen jewellery back from gang during daytime raid

A have-a-go-hero granddad was captured on CCTV fearlessly tackling a gang of jewellery thieves who smashed into a store with sledgehammers.

Footage of the terrifying 48-second robbery shows the masked raiders, dressed all in black, smashing their way through a security door of the store in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter.

The gang burst into the shop at 10.40am on August 26 and began smashing their way through the cabinets and display cases.

The four crooks grabbed £80,000 worth of jewellery from display cabinets before fleeing the Selective Gold shop in Birmingham’s historic Jewellery Quarter in a silver Audi.

But during the raid, Graham Tisdale is seen snatching a bag containing £50,000 worth of jewels out of the hand of one of the gang members after owner John Davis begged them not to 'ruin him.'

Yesterday Mr Tisdale, 60, from Burton, Staffs, who has four grown-up children and four grandchildren, said: 'He (John) had just taken our wedding rings off to clean and I was sitting in the chair behind the door when I heard a huge bang.

'I looked and saw the hoodies and as I turned they were already inside. It was over so quickly but it seemed like a hell of a lot longer at the time.

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'John was very distressed shouting at the gang not to ruin him and I thought “You're not having this, I'm not going to stand by”.

'I just took the opportunity, I’m glad I did it. I just snatched the bag out of one of the men’s hand. It was an opportune moment.

'My main thought was 'grab the bag, you’re not getting away with it.' It was just instinct. I'm glad it’s worked out for John and it was a bag that had more substantial stuff in.

'All I said to John was I’m glad I’ve helped save his business.'

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Grateful owner Mr Davis, 57, added: 'The first we knew something was happening was when we heard two massive bangs at the door.

'It was mayhem in the minute that followed and I pleaded with them to not take the jewellery.

'I said they may as well kill me, because the last few years have been really tough. I said: “Please don’t do this, it will ruin me” but they didn’t care.

'The customer who grabbed the bag from them effectively kept me in business.

'The police took the bag to check for forensics and we only found out what was in it when it was handed back. It turned out to be the most valuable bag they had.

'Had they escaped with it, £30,000-worth of losses would have turned into £80,000. It was a very brave thing for him to do.

'Without the bag I would have had to shut the shop. I think he saw how stressed I was and he made an instinctive grab for it.'

Dad-of-two John, who has been in the trade for over 40 years, is now calling on the police to offer more protection and support to jewellers.

He said: 'You are always on edge and worried it will happen again, but I just have to plod on with what I have left.'

West Midlands Police confirmed officers were investigating the raid and commended Mr Tisdale.