The moment hero grandfather tackled knife-wielding robber at petrol station

By Stephanie Darrall


Violent: CCTV footage shows Kieran Devlin brandishing a knife at the petrol station before demanding money


An elderly grandfather has been hailed a hero after fighting off a knife wielding robber at the petrol station where he worked armed only with a bottle of wine.

Pensioner Derek Greenwood, 73, grabbed masked Kieran Devlin, 27, as he threatened the terrified female cashier with a knife and demanded money from the till.

Devlin quickly turned on him brandishing the large kitchen knife, but Mr Greenwood broke away before returning seconds later armed with a bottle of wine and continued to defend his 25-year-old colleague.


Brave: Derek Greenwood grabbed masked Devlin's arm as he threatened the terrified female cashier with a knife and demanded money from the till

Attack: Devlin quickly turned on the pensioner but Mr Greenwood broke away before returning seconds
later armed with a bottle of wine and continued to defend his 25-year-old colleague


Devlin, from Accrington, Lancashire was jailed on Friday for five years four months after pleading guilty to robbery at Preston Crown Court.

Mr Greenwood, who has worked at the garage for the past six years as a part-time shop assistant said he wouldn't think twice about doing it again.

He said: 'It just happened really quickly. He came in and I was talking to my colleague at the desk. He came in and stood next to me and shoved his hand onto the counter with a blue bag

'I grabbed him by the arms and saw that he had a knife so I let him go and picked up a bottle of wine to defend myself. He lost his nerve then and ran out of the store.

'I'm 73 and that's the first time that I have seen a robbery, let alone been involved in one, but I don't regret what I did.

'I know a lot of good young people who are doing really well in Accrington, but I suppose there's always going to be the odd bad person.'

Devlin was wearing a hooded coat with his face covered up to his eyes when he entered the Texaco garage in Accrington, at around 10pm on June 30.

Hero: Mr Greenwood has worked at the Texaco petrol station for six years before the attack. He said he does not consider himself a hero and would do it again if he had to


He threatening the female cashier with the large-bladed knife and demanded she fill a blue carrier bag with cash.

Mr Greenwood had been talking to the woman moments before as he mopped the floor and immediately stepped in to defend her against the intruder.

The pair struggled and father-of-three Mr Greenwood temporarily released his grip on Devlin in order to pick up a bottle of red wine to defend himself and his colleague.

Devlin reached over the counter and grabbed a wad of notes from the till before fleeing the scene with less than £100, leaving his bag behind.

He was later arrested and charged after police matched his fingerprints to the blue bag and Mr Greenwood has been commended for his brave actions which led to the violent thief leaving behind the evidence that helped to convict him.

A police spokesman said: 'The bravery shown by the shop assistant has undoubtedly led to Devlin leaving behind valuable evidence which ultimately led to his arrest and conviction.

'I would like to praise his courage and selfless actions in trying to protect his colleague and stop this terrible ordeal, but we would always urge members of the public to consider their own safety first.

'Devlin is a dangerous criminal and I welcome the sentence he has been given.'



source:dailymail