Armed thieves chased away by fearless shop owner

A fish and chip shop owner has risked his life to fight back against a gang of knife-wielding thieves.

Thirty-two-year-old Jimmy Hammoud, fed up with the constant targeting of his shop in Melbourne, Australia, decided it was time to take action. 

"I ran inside to get the knife and I jumped towards him," he told 7 News, describing the moments after seeing a man loitering in the carpark, threatening his customers. 

Video footage shows Mr Hammoud charging at the driver, leaping over the bonnet and scaring off the vehicle.

"I chose to jump on the car," he says. "I don't want him to run away. I want to catch him."

The footage also shows the crook's two female accomplices waiting inside the car as a knife is passed around. One woman eventually leaves, and the other raids a charity bin. 

Mr Hammoud says the man threatened him: "He swears, he says, 'I'm gonna kill you.'"

The fish-and-chip shop owner says the same thieves returned twice more - in the first instance armed with a hammer, and in the second, a gun. Mr Hammoud chased him off both times. 

"He's not gonna scare me," he says. "If he's got a gun or he's got a knife... nothing can scare me."

Put in a similar situation again, Mr Hammoud says he'd fight back in a heartbeat.

"I love my work, [my] lovely customers... best country in the world, mate."

Newshub.