Brave super-gran a hero after foiling robbery in charity shop
Published: July 3, 2007
Greenisland pensioner Wilma Hazlett has been praised for her bravery after she stopped a thief stealing T-shirts from the Fairtrade shop at Spires Mall.
Mrs Hazlett, who is recovering from a hip replacement operation, sustained a slight injury to her hand during the struggle.
The pensioner, who suspected a man was shoplifting, made herself a human barricade and tried to block the would-be robber’s exit.
She said: “He seemed a very friendly man, he chatted about Fairtrade products and was very interested in the work we were doing.
“When I went to ask him if he needed any help I noticed that his coat seemed to be bulging and so I went to close the door to stop him leaving.
“I tried to get the attention of someone else in the shop but I couldn’t get their attention without calling their name and when I did that he sprinted to the door where there was an ensuing struggle.”
Another volunteer and a customer also in the shop at the time chased the thief but he managed to get away - however he did drop the T-shirts.
Fairtrade is a not-for-profit organisation and the shop is manned by volunteers.
“People in the shop were shocked, they are so trusting, they really didn’t think someone would steal from a not-for-profit organisation,” she added.
The man has been described as being in his 30s, about 5ft 7ins or 5ft 8ins tall, of slight build, with dark hair in a crew-cut style. He was wearing a knee-length sheepskin coat with light blonde wool, dark trousers and dark shoes.
A PSNI spokeswoman confirmed they were investigating the incident. She said: “Police responded to a report of an attempted robbery at a store in a shopping centre on Great Victoria Street on Wednesday, May 16. The robber attempted to steal three T-shirts.”
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