A CCTV camera has captured the moment a shopkeeper sent a knife-wielding robber fleeing empty-handed - by throwing chilli powder in his face.
The masked thug targeted the A1 Convenience Store, in Kingstanding, Birmingham, just before it closed for the evening on 7 March 2020.
CCTV shows the offender, dressed head-to-toe in black with a balaclava covering his face, brandishing a large blade as he appears to demand cash from the manager.
The brave shopkeeper instinctively reached beneath the counter before hurling a handful of the eye-watering spice in the face of the would-be thief.
The man stumbles back as he is engulfed in an orange cloud of the chilli powder and runs out.
The store owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, has released the footage in a bid to highlight the crime but has not reported the matter to police.
As a result, West Midlands Police have declined to comment on the incident.
Additional reporting by SWNS
