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Punters fight-off £6,000 pub raiders

Susannah Wright
10/ 1/2008

A LANDLORD has said a big ‘cheers’ to customers who fought off masked raiders trying to steal his takings.

Kevin Moores, of the Trevor Arms on Beech Road in Chorlton, was leaving the pub to deposit the cash when he was set upon by the thieves.

In chaotic scenes, £6,000 in notes were scattered across the road as around eight punters spilled out of the Trevor and a neighbouring pub to tackle the thugs.

After the robbers had fled, Kevin’s honest rescuers then helped him to retrieve all but 76p of the money which was strewn across the road. Kevin, 55, said: "I’m amazed but so grateful that so many people ran out to help. The willingness of people to get involved so quickly was fantastic and it wasn’t just my regulars. People came out of the Beech pub too.

"It just shows the generosity of spirit of people around here."

Kevin, who has been managing the pub for just over a year, added: "One man ran after them towards Chorlton Green and brought back the satchel bag which the money had been in. It still had quite a bit of cash in it. I was just so grateful that I got it all back - I think I can live without the 76p!

"I really want to say a big thanks to everyone who’s helped. It could have been a lot worse. I was left quite shaken by it."

During the attack which occurred just after 4pm on Monday, January 7, Kevin was put in a headlock by one of the two yobs. Thankfully he was able to shout out as he fell to the floor alerting the late afternoon drinkers. The previous landlords at the Trevor Arms, which won CAMRA’s Autumn Pub of the Season in 2007, left the pub following a series of raids.

Joe and Margaret Heath packed their bags in September 2006 after Joe was attacked by a hammer-wielding robber in their flat above the pub and forced to hand over the money in the safe. Police say they investigating the latest robbery attempt. The two muggers are described as white and in their early 20s. They were wearing black clothes and had the lower half of their faces covered by scarves.

If anyone has any further information, they are asked to call police on 0161 856 6612.