Shopkeeper scares off robbers with a broom

Surveillance footage captured a fearless Victorian shopkeeper's confrontation with two men who attempted to rob her with a knife on Friday morning before she chased them off with a broom stick.

One of the men entered the Ballarat milkbar around 8am and spoke to the shopkeeper for about 40 seconds before an accomplice came in wearing a balaclava while holding a knife and demanding cash, the Courier reports.

The CCTV footage in the store shows the female proprietor walk to the back of the store where she then called for her father-in-law who came out yelling at the crooks.

The woman then grabbed broomstick and chased the pair out of the store empty handed.

Neighbour Peter Chapman told the Courier the new owners had taken over the business about eight months ago and were working to put their teenage son through private school.

"She's such a hard-working, nice lady," Mr Chapman told the newspaper.

"She's been very welcomed in the community and she's always got a smile."

Mr Chapman also said the previous owners had been robbed about three times.

The milkbar was closed behind police tape and four police cars arrived at the scene to pursue the investigation.

A Mandarin interpreter was also on the scene to assist with the shop keepers' limited English while police searched the neighbourhood for the knife.

Police are looking for two males, believed to be in their late teens or early twenties.

Source: The Courier
Author: Nicholas McCallum, Approving editor: Nicholas Pearson