Courageous chef came close to catching Woodford Green robbers who hit jewellers in daytime raid
Louis Martin, 26, a chef from Seasons restaurant in Woodford Green - Credit: Archant
A courageous chef came close to catching a robber who fled a Woodford Green jewellers after a daytime raid.
On hearing that the Time Gold shop in The Broadway was being robbed last week, Louis Martin, 26, who works in Seasons restaurant next door, went “to investigate”.
He came face to face with five men who were leaving the shop after snatching cash and jewellery at about noon.
He pushed one of the robbers to the ground.
After “scuttling around on the floor”, the robber managed to get up and run to join the gang getting into a Vauxhall Corsa car next to Woodford Green Library, with Louis in hot pursuit.
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The robbers drove off but Louis took down the car’s registration number. Louis admitted “a little bit of stupidity” had led him to take such drastic action.
He said: “I shouldn’t have got involved.
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“But I thought, I work for a local business, I’m from the area.
“I think it’s quite disgusting them [the jewellers] getting done over.”
He said four of the men were black and one was white and were all in their late teens to early 20s.
A shop owner who did not want to be named but who saw Louis give chase said: “He acted on adrenaline or whatever and I think it’s extremely brave.
“We’re such a little community here. The shopkeepers are very close. It’s horrible to see it happen to one of your own.”
Police say the robbers threatened the jewellery shop owner during the raid on Wednesday of last week.
No weapons were used and the gang did not indicate to anyone that they had weapons.
There were no injuries and no arrests have been made. Officers from the Flying Squad in Barking are investigating.
Anyone with information should call 020 8345 4226 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
