‘I didn’t think about it’: Brave shop assistant foils would-be robber

Worker stood up to crook despite believing he was armed with knife

A brave shop assistant foiled a robbery attempt by fighting off a would-be thief.

Sharon Robertson forced the hooded man to flee empty-handed from the Methilhill store following a struggle on Thursday morning.

He had demanded money after entering the Premier Express shop on Chemiss Road at around 10.40.

Modest Sharon, 36, said she did not believe she had done anything special, despite initially fearing the assailant was armed with a knife.

“He had his hood up when he came into the shop and all I could see were his eyes,” she said.

“He had his hand out like he was holding a knife.

“He pushed me and told me to open the till but I wouldn’t go.”

Sharon said that when the man pushed her a second time she realised both his hands were on her shoulders so he could not have a knife.

“I turned and tried to shove him off,” she said.

“I shouted for my boss who was upstairs and the man ran away.”

Sharon, who only started working at the shop at the start of March, said she had acted on auto pilot.

“I thought to myself ‘I work here for my money, why should you get it for nothing?’,” she said.

“I didn’t even think about it. It was afterwards the shock hit me.”

She added: “I only started work here at the beginning of the month so I’ve really been thrown in at the deep end.”

A 34-year-old man has since been detained by officers at an address in nearby Kirke Park.

He was charged and will appear at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.

Police, who viewed the incident on the shop’s CCTV, have praised Sharon for her actions.

Constable David Birrell from Methil Police Station said: “Thanks to the bravery of the shop assistant, this robbery attempt was unsuccessful and a male is now in custody.

“We treat all reports of acquisitive crime with the utmost seriousness and will robustly investigate whenever such offences occur to identify anyone responsible and to ensure they are brought to justice.”

I only started this month so I’ve really been thrown in at the deep end. SHARON ROBERTSON