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NH Store Clerk Scares Away Would-Be Robber With Bigger Knife

MANCHESTER, N.H. (CBS/AP) — Police say a man walked into a convenience store and brandished a 3-inch-long knife at the clerk, but fled after she pulled out a larger one.

Manchester, NH Clerk With Knife
A convenience store clerk scared off a would-be robber by showing a knife bigger than the one he brandished. (Image Credit: Manchester, NH Police Department)

The clerk, Dawn Kahwaja, was standing behind the counter at Down the Block Convenience in Manchester on Saturday night when the man entered and demanded cash. Well-aware of recent robberies in the area, she protected herself with the bigger knife.

"He just kept saying, 'Gimme the money, gimme the money, gimme the money,'" Kahjawa told WBZ. "And I just looked at him, like, did he really just come in here to take my money? So I said no."

Dawn Kahwaja
Dawn Kahwaja holds knife that she scared robber away with (WBZ-TV)

The man, who was wearing a gray-hooded sweatshirt, a black hat with a "P'' and a white T-shirt over his face, left without any cash or property from the store.

"I have a daughter in college, a son that's almost there. It's not cheap," she added. "We work for a living, killing ourselves. Not for you to come in and take my money. It's not fair. Get a job, work. Simple as that."

Attempted Armed Robbery In Manchester, NH
Police say a man walked into a convenience store and brandished a 3-inch-long knife at the clerk, but fled after she pulled out a larger one. (Image Credit: Manchester, NH Police Department)

He was described as white, about 5-foot-10, 180 pounds.

Police are seeking the public's help in identifying and finding him.

On Monday, police released surveillance video of the man.

(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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