Guildford bottle shop worker throws cider at armed robbers

A bottle shop worker has been hailed a hero after he foiled an armed robbery by throwing a box of cider at three masked men who were holding his colleague in a headlock, while trying to gain access to money in the till.

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A bottle shop worker has been hailed a hero after he foiled an armed robbery by throwing a box of cider at the intruders.

It was the second time in his 11 years working at Bottlemart on Fowler Rd in Guildford in Sydney’s west that Kelvin Patten had been targeted in an armed hold-up.

Mr Patten walked out from the back store room to the front counter last night and found his 28-year-old colleague in a headlock with three masked men.

“I saw what was happening before I heard it and I thought my workmate is in trouble,” the 49-year-old said.

“I needed to try and free him. I grabbed a case of cider and I threw it at the culprits then had a little wrestle.”

Kelvin Patten, 49, foiled an armed robbery at Bottlemart in Guildford.

The three intruders, including two armed with hammers, demanded the till but after Mr Patten’s heroic actions, they got away with nothing.

“They were trying to get out from behind the counter,” he explained on Saturday.

“I was holding on to one person but the other two overcame me. I let them go and they ran out.

“It didn’t even take one minute.”

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He ended up with a cut on his head after being hit with a wine bottle during the struggle and was treated by paramedics.

Several years ago, Mr Patten was working on his own in the same bottle shop when he was robbed.

On that occasion he gave up the till just to get the offenders out of the store.

“I was younger back then,” he said.

Mr Patten said the fact his colleague was in trouble this time around forced him to act.

Cumberland Police Area Command Detective Chief Inspector Clive Ainley said the “excellent work” by the employee foiled the robbery.

“We may consider him a hero for taking on three armed offenders,” he said.

“It was also heroic of the witnesses who chased them down and gave us a lead into the vehicle that was used by the offenders to make their escape.”

The three men in Friday night’s robbery were last seen running north along Fowler Road as two witnesses gave chase.

The trio then jumped into a car, described as a white Toyota Tarago with the first registration letter as ‘A’, and sped off down Bowden St

The first man is described as being of Pacific Islander/Maori appearance, aged in his 20s, with an average build and long black hair.

He was last sent wearing a black T-shirt over his head, black pants, black shoes, and a black jacket with ‘HENLEY’ written on the front chest and lower back.

Another is described as being aged in his 20s, with an average build, wearing black pants, black jacket and a black thermal-style balaclava.

The third man is described as having a large build, last seen wearing a black, red and white jacket, black pants and white shoes.

As for Mr Patten, he was back at work first thing Saturday morning and said the experience provided a bit of excitement in a routine job.

“It energised me,” he said.

“Eleven years working in the same place can get boring.”

Originally published as Guildford bottle shop worker throws cider at armed robbers