A PLUCKY female shopkeeper gave chase down Spalding’s Westlode Street when two thieves ran out of her shop with a cash register containing the day’s takings.
Svitlana Solomka (46) grabbed hold of the flex which one man had wrenched out of the wall, keeping hold of it as he tried to make his escape with the till in his arms at about 6.30pm on Friday.
The other raider, covering his face with his hands, had been talking to her to distract her while his mate got to work on the till.
The pair split up when they left the shop and Svitlana, still hanging onto the flex, followed the one with the till towards the Pinchbeck Road traffic lights, before the wire broke away and she lost him.
The cash register was later recovered empty.
Svitlana, who owns the East European Food and Drink shop in Westlode Street, reported the raid to police and says they reacted promptly and were helpful.
She said: “I’m still in shock from what happened. It was insolent and it happened in front of two of my female customers.
“It was quite dark when the two young guys came in and one was talking to me – that’s how I know they were English and they were white.
“The other man came from the other side of the counter and started ripping the till with all its wires and plugs away.
“I managed to get hold of the wire and when the man started running I was running after him holding the wire.
“The wire snapped and the man holding the till ran to the dark corner after the taxi place. I ended up holding just the wire in my hands.
“They got away with the full day’s sale – quite a lot of money.”
A police spokesman said: “Two men entered the shop and stole the till which was later found abandoned near the fence of AlleyCatz.
“There are no descriptions of the men.”
Svitlana’s was the first East European shop to open in Spalding, back in 2005, and this is the first time it has been targeted by raiders of any kind.
Svitlana said: “I am angry because I work hard for the money. They should try working in life if they need money.”