A brave member of the public fended off a machete wielding burglar with a plank of wood – and his evidence helped us secure a jail term against the violent thief.
CCTV shows the man arriving early for work at a Handsworth industrial estate on the morning of 25 July 2019 and bumping into Haiwa Ezzeddine Mohammed as he used a fence post to smash open a safe.
Mohammed and fellow crooks had earlier broken into a Birmingham city centre convenience store having cut through the ceiling before taking £15,000 worth of cigarettes, cash and the security box.
The 35-year-old tried scaring off the Good Samaritan as he grabbed a machete from his white Mercedes getaway car and ran towards him swinging the blade.
But he hadn’t banked on the fearless man standing his ground and taking on the knifeman with a piece of wood he picked up from the floor.
The security camera footage shows Mohammed backing away and then running off before the man – who police are nominating for a bravery award – called us to report the group.
Officers traced Mohammed’s car and seven days later arrested him from his home in Ballfields, Tipton, where a search of the vehicle uncovered tools used in the burglary plus cash and Viagra tablets also stolen from the shop.
His phone was also found to contain a video he took of his 32-year-old accomplice – jailed on 13 September 2019 for 40 months – breaking into the stolen safe. And we also found the trainers he was seen wearing in the CCTV at his home.
Mohammed denied burglary, going equipped for burglary and making threats with a bladed article but was found guilty following a four-day trial at Birmingham Crown Court.
On Monday (19 April) he was jailed for four years.
PC Mat Evans from Birmingham Police, said: “He showed incredible bravery in being able to fend off the gang, and ended up chasing them all off despite being outnumbered and facing a terrifying weapon.
“We are nominating him for a police bravery award. Not only did he demonstrate incredible bravery in defending himself, but his evidence was vital to pulling the whole case together to secure a conviction against a violent crook.”