Plucky Sales Assistant Chases Thief Around Chiswick
Two and a half mile dash after expensive glasses snatched
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A local shop assistant has been called a "hero" after he chased a thief around Chiswick, while alerting police on his mobile phone as he ran.
Raman Johal (22) from Hounslow, spotted the man taking three pairs of expensive Ray-Ban glasses from the shop of Chiswick Eyewear on Chiswick High Road.
"He took off out the door and I shouted after him and then I just started to follow him" he said.
The route took them along the High Road, and down past Chiswick Park tube station towards Acton Green and in the direction of Bedford Park.
"I dialled 999 as I was running and I was a bit out of breath. I told the police where I was and kept talking to them as I ran behind him."
Raman was a semi-professional footballer for Staines Town before he had to retire following a knee injury and operation. He joined the shop about two years ago where he is a sales supervisor.
The drama, which happened last Monday around lunchtime, ended when the thief threw the glasses into a garden near South Parade.
"The police car pulled up and they ran out and caught him. I was still talking to them on the phone as I ran along, I was pretty wrecked at that point".
Raman back at work again
When he arrived back at work staff and customers gave him a round of applause.
Store manager Richard Kavanagh said; "He got a hero's welcome when he came back and rightly so. It's not every day you see bravery like that."
After the shop closed the staff adjourned to a local pub to relax after the drama.
"It's only afterwards that you think about what might have happened. But I didn't at any stage directly go head to head with him, I stayed behind him," said Raman.
When he told his family that night they were alarmed but he reassured them that he had not put himself in danger.
The police have said that a 35-year old man was charged with theft and appeared at Feltham Magistrates Court on Thursday.
October 19, 2013