A brave shopkeeper has recalled the moment he took on a hapless armed robber who tried to raid his store.
No nonsense business owner Khalid Mehmood, known locally as Rambo, was opening his shop on West Granton Road when masked David McKenzie aka 'Crackers' burst through the door with a gun demanding cash.
Without thinking, 65-year-old Rambo leapt into action and began to fight off the local thug. The resulting violent struggle was caught on the store's CCTV with Rambo eventually prizing the weapon from Crackers' hands and shoving him out of the shop.
Crackers then brandished a knife but quick-thinking Rambo pulled down his balaclava which scared the robber who apologised and claimed the raid was a joke.
READ MORE - Watch as hero local Edinburgh shopkeeper known as 'Rambo' fights off armed robber
Speaking to Edinburgh Live Rambo said: "It was around half seven on Sunday morning in October, I was just going about my business and a guy came in with a pistol and a knife - he had both of them and said 'give me all your money, you b******'
"He pointed the gun at me and then opened the gate, when he opened the gate he was distracted for a minute so I grabbed the gun out of his hand and started beating him with it.
"First of all, when I got the gun off him I put him across the counter and started beating him, then he dropped the knife over the gate and tried to pick it up.
"When he did pick up the knife I just started battering him on the head. He was quite strong actually, he tried to get behind the counter again then we had a fistfight in the doorway.
"I just pushed him out and when we were outside I had a chance to take his mask down and I recognised him but then he pushed me and I fell on the floor - at this point I thought he was going to pick up the knife and stab me.
"Fortunately for me, he was more scared because I had recognised him. Then he started apologising and begging 'Please don't tell the police - this was only a joke.'
"Stupidly I said, 'Go and then f*** off I don't want to see you again. Then he f***** off on his bike."
Hours later after speaking to his family Rambo realised just how serious and dangerous the incident was and reported it to police.
He explained: "It was much later when I told anybody what had happened, one of my customers wasn't too far away at the time and knew what happened - she went next door to tell my family what happened.
"A relative asked me, 'Uncle are you not pressing charges?' and I said 'Nah it's only an isolated incident, things like that happen all the time, we always have many fights where glass bottles have been thrown' but he told me 'no uncle it's very serious you need to report it.'"
Rambo continued: "It wasn't until a couple of hours later it sunk in when I actually thought about the impact of what could have happened to someone who couldn't defend themselves then I realised.
"Even my son said to me, 'Dad you did well, if it was us I would have just passed the money over and not risked it.
"I wouldn't say brave it was just the heat of the moment, it is just the way someone reacts. In that moment you don't look for weapons, it just happened so fast.
"I was actually more just angry someone tried to steal our hard-earned money. All of my customers were really supportive. Most knew immediately who it was, I recognised him but I didn't know his name - he is barred from the shop now.
"It has taken nearly two and a half years to get justice - I thought it would be up long before now but they didn't take any action because they said the courts have been delayed because of Covid."
Many family members work in the shop too and were concerned for the dad's safety after the incident.
Finally, he added: "My family wanted me to sell the shop - they said 'it's enough now dad when they are coming in with guns it could have been our mother behind the till" because my wife covers evenings until closing time.
"It could have been so much worse, but the community was wonderful they said anything you need we can help you with."
The failed robber, who is currently in Addiewell jail, in West Lothian, had denied assaulting Mr Mehmood and attempted to rob him of a sum of money on October 10 in 2021 at West Granton Superstore, in West Granton Road.
But he was found guilty on June 15 of the crime by a jury at the High Court in Edinburgh following a trial in which he did not give evidence in his own defence.
McKenzie was also convicted of possessing a knife and possessing a firearm with intent to cause the shopkeeper to believe unlawful violence would be used against him.
Lady Haldane deferred sentence on him until next month for the preparation of a background report.
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