Shopper Parvez Iqbal outside the Co-op store in Allerton with store supervisor Scott Page who were both attacked by the raiders
A brave dad-of-two was slashed at with a knife as he went to help a shop manager who was being attacked by thieves.
Bank worker Parvez Iqbal, 29, narrowly dodged the blade as the knifeman confronted him following the theft at a Co-op supermarket in Allerton Road, Allerton, Bradford.
Mr Iqbal, who had his two-year-old daughter with him, was uninjured but was left shocked and frightened.
Detectives are now studying CCTV footage to try to identify the culprits.
Mr Iqbal, who lives close to the store, said: "I am still shocked that he had the nerve to pull a knife on someone. He must be a maniac if he is prepared to try to take someone's life over something as small as this."
The young father had been to the store to buy sweets for his daughter, Isha, and was walking home when he saw two men running from the premises with cases of beer, and store supervisor Scott Page chasing them. "He caught one of them and tried to take him back to the store," said Mr Iqbal. "Another guy came running up. I thought he was coming to help, but one of them hit the member of staff in the face and knocked him out.
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"I gave my daughter to my brother and went to stop the man from hitting him again. He saw me coming and pulled a Stanley knife out of his pocket and took a swipe at me with it towards my face and chest.
"I saw the knife and stepped back and it missed me, otherwise I would probably have walked into it. I wasn't going to argue with a knife, so I stepped back and held my hands up. He walked off grinning."
Mr Iqbal added: "It's very frightening that something like this should happen outside your front door. We have lived here for 12 years and never had anything like this.
"But things have got worse in the area in the last couple of years with a lot of vandalism, theft and burglaries. I feel sorry for the people working at the Co-op. They had an armed robbery there not long ago and there have been so many instances of shoplifting they should get danger money."
Two months ago staff at the store were threatened with a firearm by three men who burst in and demanded money.
A spokesman for the Co-operative Group last night confirmed a member of staff had been slightly injured after intervening during an attempted shoplifting.
He said: "The police are being given CCTV footage and we would appeal for anyone with any information to contact them. The safety and security of both our staff and customers is of paramount importance to us, and our policy is that we do not encourage tackling robbers. However, this was a brave act by a member of staff who was faced with a highly unpleasant situation."
The stolen lager was dropped outside the shop and recovered.
Detective Inspector John Mountain, of Airedale and North Bradford CID, said: "This was obviously a frightening incident for both the man from the store and the member of the public who bravely intervened. Inquiries are ongoing into the CCTV footage and we are also seeking the help of the public in identifying the three suspects."
Anyone with information about the incident which took place at about 7pm on April 12 should contact Airedale and North Bradford CID on 0845 6060606, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
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