Jeweller hurls armed robber over counter despite gun pointed at head

CCTV has been released of jeweller Chris Hooper throwing an armed robber over his counter and out of his shop – despite having a gun pointed at his head. Chris Hopper, a partners in Harvey Daly Jewellers in Peterborough, Cambs, was opening the shop on Friday when two man came in. One of man claimed he was trying to buy a ring for his girlfriend, when the other pulled out a firearm and held it to Mr Hopper's head.


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The first 'customer' reached into a cabinet and began stealing gold rings and jewellery. Mr Hopper grappled with the gunman and threw the second armed robber over his counter before chasing the pair from his shop. "I looked out the corner of my eye and saw this gun. It is not the sort of thing you see every day but I just saw red and thought "how dare they?" he said. “I thumped the one holding the gun but the other one was trying to grab a fistful of gold chains.

“I managed to throw him over the counter but I think he got some gold. I then chased him out shouting and screaming.” The robber to fled straight into the arms of passer-by Lithuanian Deivydas Jacikas, 20, who was job hunting with a friend when he faced the thieves at gunpoint. Mr Jacikas managed to force one of the men to drop the handgun before the thief eventually shook him off and fled through the grounds of the city’s cathedral.



He said: "When he took the gun out and pointed it at me I didn't know if it was loaded. I only had a second to think but I was scared. I hadn't seen the gun before I grabbed him but I still would have tried to stop him even if I knew it was there. I have never seen a revolver before and I thought I was going to die. I have had nightmares now about what happened – I could easily have died. I am very lucky to be alive." Police have appealed for anyone with information about the crime to come forward.