Store Owner Blasts Robber With Pepper Spray
DERRY, N.H. (CBS) - Walk into Sumant Patel's convenient store today and you would never know what took place Wednesday afternoon.
Smiling, serving customers, everything seems normal except the occasional person who walks into J.R.'s Place wanting an autograph.
"They say I'm brave," said Patel while beaming from ear to ear.
The 60-year old store owner is as jovial as could be after stopping the second robbery attempt on his store in four months.
WBZ-TV's Alana Gomez reports.
Yesterday a man in a hooded sweater tried to demand cash and got a shot of pepper spray instead.
The suspect took off, but Patel ran outside and saw the man's dark colored late model Nissan sedan.
Patel immediately phoned police who found a wrecked car matching that description just minutes later.
Derry police say the car's only passenger was the driver, who went to the hospital for airbag related injuries.
Authorities believe there's a relationship between the accident and the robbery and anticipate an arrest in the case soon.
Four months ago Patel thwarted another attempted robbery on his store. Two men walked in with a gun and asked for money. Patel pressed a panic button near the register that alerts police. The robbers took off running.
If someone tries to steal from Patel a third time he says he's prepared.
"I'm not scared. I'll face him," said Patel.
