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Nilesh Patel’s wife, Rikki Patel, of RNP News in Hatfield, was held up at knifepoint on 24 July at 06.30 as a masked and gloved man ransacked the till, making off with only £100 cash.
Store owner Nilesh said: “The hooded attacker entered the store with a mask on and dawdled around the shop for a moment, before approaching the till and attacking Rikki. Rikki immediately held her hands up and opened the till.
“As soon as the attacker left the shop in a hurry, a council worker noticed the commotion and rushed into the store to aid Rikki. They called the police straight away and Rikki had already pushed the panic button.”
It took police officers 15 minutes to respond to the call and attend the scene.
Nilesh added: “Usually, you are able to notice someone that is intentionally covering their face and ask them to remove their mask or show their face, but because of the new regulations, you can’t tell who is genuine and who is not, so it’s far easier for criminals to go unnoticed.
“I understand that the government has made face masks compulsorily to protect everyone against Covid-19, but why now instead of when the virus was at its peak?”
The couple has received significant support from their local community and customers, but the attack has had a lasting effect on Rikki.
Nilesh explained: “My wife is still too afraid to be in the store alone – I always have to be with her now. If I need to leave the store at some point during the day, one of my neighbours comes over until I’m back.
“We’ve received such a heart-warming response from the village and our customers – they’ve all brought a lot of moral support. They had a collection for us and presented us with flower and money.”
In response, NFRN national president, Stuart Reddish, said: “The new face mask regulations in England and Scotland undoubtedly make it easier for attackers to commit crimes against retailers.
“Although the police responded fantastically to this incident, we are till urging for more police support. Criminals need to know that they will be stopped – regardless of the new face mask laws.”
