A Mandurah man has been arrested over an alleged armed robbery at a Silver Sands newsagency on Tuesday.
About 4.30pm, the 33-year-old allegedly walked into the store and told staff to hand over cash.
After staff refused his demands, the man allegedly held up a large hammer, waved it in a threatening manner and yelled obscenities at them.
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He then, jumped the counter and allegedly began taking money from the cash register.
The man was wearing a black balaclava and fluorescent orange shirt.
Junior retail assistant Hayley Walker was in the store when the man entered.
When the man began to approach the counter, the 16-year-old said she acted quickly.
Hayley said she ran out the back door, raced to the front of the building and attempted to lock him in.
Meanwhile, store manager Angela Willis and senior retail officer Alicia Fair-Manson were doing what they could to help in the “stressful” situation, including escorting their only customer out of the building.
Ms Fair-Manson said she dashed to the Mandurah IGA, located next door, and urged checkout staff to put a call over the PA system for their security.
At the same time, Ms Willis held the front door shut while bystanders grabbed shopping trolleys and placed them in front of the newsagency’s door, in an attempt to keep the man in.
The attempt wasn’t a success and the man fled the store.
Two IGA staff members and a bystander chased the man down across the car park, before tackling him to the ground.
In a stroke of luck, Ms Fair-Manson spotted a police car at the nearby traffic lights and waved them down.
Police then arrested the man.
A police officer at the scene said the man hadn’t been charged over the incident at this stage and that inquiries would continue.
It’s still unclear how much cash and cigarettes the man managed to stuff into his duffel bag during the incident.
Store owner Philip Foo wasn’t in the newsagency at the time but hurried to the scene when he received a distressing phone call from Ms Willis.
Mr Foo said he was glad his staff weren’t hurt in the incident.
