This is the moment two heroes armed with just a broom tackled a gang on machete robbers during a raid on a jewellery shop in north London.
Four figures clad in black and motor helmets raided Bilezzik, a shop selling Turkish gold-plated jewellery in Green Lanes, north London, on the morning of February 24, but brave locals fought back as they tried to get away.
Footage taken by an onlooker shows two motorbikes on the pavement outside the shop, while somebody screams repeatedly.
Two of the group remain outside, one sitting on a bike and the other patrolling the pavement, waving a huge machete to ward off any intervention.
But one passerby confronts the watchman with a wooden broom, charging towards him and using the handle to defend against wild swipes of the blade.
The other two emerge from the shop clutching large shopping bags, apparently stuffed with stolen goods, and jump onto their bikes – while a man bellows ‘thieves’ at the top of his voice.
Both bikes move off, but one of the rear passengers stumbles and struggles to mount the bike – giving members of the public another opportunity to strike.
Some hurl bottles in an attempt to knock him off the escape vehicle.
This is the moment a hero armed with just a broom tackled a gang on machete robbers during a raid on a jewellery shop in north London
Another person wearing a bike helmet follows them in with a hammer, smashing the display cases
A different man armed with the broom gives chase, while another sprints across the road brandishing a saw at the blundering thief.
Further footage from inside the shop shows the moped driver ram the bike straight through the front door as a customer spoke to the shop attendant.
The other men then rush in and begin smashing the glass cabinets to snatch the jewellery, terrifying the two women who run to the back for safety.
One of the women was a customer and the other was an employee at the shop who is seen from interior CCTV taking the customer to a safe place.
The employee said she doubted the robbers knew that the jewellery was mainly made of silver, with gold-plating on top.
‘I think soon they will be caught,’ the woman said.
‘Our jewellery is gold-plated, but I guess [the robbers] didn’t realise that.’
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: ‘Police were called at 10.04am on Tuesday, February 24, following reports of an armed robbery at a shop on Green Lanes, Islington.
‘During the incident, a number of members of the public attempted to prevent the suspects from making off. No injuries were reported.
‘Officers arrived on scene at 10.08am and an investigation is ongoing, with officers working quickly to secure evidence and identify suspects. At this stage, no arrests have been made.’
