WOW!
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STORE OWNER REFUSES TO GIVE CASH TO THUGS
PUBLICATION: The Winnipeg Sun
DATE: 2004.01.13
EDITION: Final
SECTION: News
PAGE: 3
ILLUSTRATION: 3 photos by Marcel Cretain 1. Sara Sinha stood her ground against two armed robbers who tried to rob her store. 2. They fired shots then fled empty-handed. 3. The same robbers may have hit Okay Grocery.
BYLINE: KATIE CHALMERS, STAFF REPORTER
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WOLSELEY SHOOTUP STORE OWNER REFUSES TO GIVE CASH TO THUGS
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Two thugs armed with a shotgun left a Wolseley-area grocery store empty-handed after the gutsy 55-year-old store owner refused to hand over the money.
The suspects fired a shot into the ceiling at Sara's Supermarket about 3:30 p.m. yesterday but Sara Sinha said they were more startled by the gunfire then she was.
"They said, 'Give me your money.' I said, 'No, what are you doing?' " recalled the mother of two, who admitted the severity of the situation didn't hit her until later.
"They were just trying to scare me but I think they got scared."
The petite woman initially thought the shotgun pointing at her across the checkout counter at her Westminster Avenue store was a fake.
Then the would-be robber pointed the shotgun at the ceiling above her and she heard a "boom" when he pulled the trigger. But immediately after the shot, the duo fled the store in a hurry. Police said two shots were fired.
Sinha had already summoned police by pressing her panic button.
In retrospect, Sinha said she should have complied with the robbers but she was caught off guard. Winnipeg police don't recommend challenging armed thieves.
'HELD MY GROUND'
"I thought there were just playing a joke," said a smiling Sinha, who was back at the register, serving customers an hour after the attempted robbery. "I held my ground ... It was so quick."
Sinha chuckled when a customer asked, "Did you punch them out?"
While Sinha showed no fear during the first armed robbery attempt at her store, two customers hid in the back of the store during the ordeal.
Sinha described the suspects as young men age 18 or 19, wearing tuques and scarves or turtle necks that concealed their faces.
Police believe they could be responsible for a second robbery a half hour later at a grocery store on Sherbrook Street.
That time, the suspects were successful.
Cops used a K-9 Unit and were still searching at press time last night for three men armed with a shotgun who robbed Okay Grocery at 952 Sherbrook St.
Sinha credits her faith with keeping her from harm.
Regular customer Eileen Sullivan said it was unsettling the thugs targeted the much-liked merchant.
'DISGUSTING'
"She's lovely, so kind. I think this is disgusting," said Sullivan, who earlier gave Sinha a hug.
Sinha is known for cracking down on loitering teenagers in her store, said Joanne Esposito, who works next door at A-1 Cartridge Service.
Esposito was surprised to hear about the shot fired next door since the noise was muffled by the sound of office equipment.
"That just makes me shake," Esposito said.
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STORE OWNER REFUSES TO GIVE CASH TO THUGS
PUBLICATION: The Winnipeg Sun
DATE: 2004.01.13
EDITION: Final
SECTION: News
PAGE: 3
ILLUSTRATION: 3 photos by Marcel Cretain 1. Sara Sinha stood her ground against two armed robbers who tried to rob her store. 2. They fired shots then fled empty-handed. 3. The same robbers may have hit Okay Grocery.
BYLINE: KATIE CHALMERS, STAFF REPORTER
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WOLSELEY SHOOTUP STORE OWNER REFUSES TO GIVE CASH TO THUGS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Two thugs armed with a shotgun left a Wolseley-area grocery store empty-handed after the gutsy 55-year-old store owner refused to hand over the money.
The suspects fired a shot into the ceiling at Sara's Supermarket about 3:30 p.m. yesterday but Sara Sinha said they were more startled by the gunfire then she was.
"They said, 'Give me your money.' I said, 'No, what are you doing?' " recalled the mother of two, who admitted the severity of the situation didn't hit her until later.
"They were just trying to scare me but I think they got scared."
The petite woman initially thought the shotgun pointing at her across the checkout counter at her Westminster Avenue store was a fake.
Then the would-be robber pointed the shotgun at the ceiling above her and she heard a "boom" when he pulled the trigger. But immediately after the shot, the duo fled the store in a hurry. Police said two shots were fired.
Sinha had already summoned police by pressing her panic button.
In retrospect, Sinha said she should have complied with the robbers but she was caught off guard. Winnipeg police don't recommend challenging armed thieves.
'HELD MY GROUND'
"I thought there were just playing a joke," said a smiling Sinha, who was back at the register, serving customers an hour after the attempted robbery. "I held my ground ... It was so quick."
Sinha chuckled when a customer asked, "Did you punch them out?"
While Sinha showed no fear during the first armed robbery attempt at her store, two customers hid in the back of the store during the ordeal.
Sinha described the suspects as young men age 18 or 19, wearing tuques and scarves or turtle necks that concealed their faces.
Police believe they could be responsible for a second robbery a half hour later at a grocery store on Sherbrook Street.
That time, the suspects were successful.
Cops used a K-9 Unit and were still searching at press time last night for three men armed with a shotgun who robbed Okay Grocery at 952 Sherbrook St.
Sinha credits her faith with keeping her from harm.
Regular customer Eileen Sullivan said it was unsettling the thugs targeted the much-liked merchant.
'DISGUSTING'
"She's lovely, so kind. I think this is disgusting," said Sullivan, who earlier gave Sinha a hug.
Sinha is known for cracking down on loitering teenagers in her store, said Joanne Esposito, who works next door at A-1 Cartridge Service.
Esposito was surprised to hear about the shot fired next door since the noise was muffled by the sound of office equipment.
"That just makes me shake," Esposito said.
