Posted on 02/02/2007 3:07:11 PM PST by DieHard the Hunter
NO PICNIC: The Asian Kitchen on Rata St was the target of an armed robber who fled empty-handed.
A Hamilton store owner tired of being held up decided to fight back yesterday and, armed with a meat cleaver, scared off a knife-wielding robber.
Detective Robbie Herman said details weren't clear due to language difficulties and police would be speaking to the owner of the Asian Kitchen takeaway, Lloyd Yuen, through an interpreter.
Mr Herman said the robber was described as a Polynesian, 180cm tall, in dark clothing. He entered the store armed with a knife about midday, demanding money.
"An exchange of words has taken place and Mr Yuen has armed himself with a meat cleaver, confronting the man who has then run off," said Mr Herman.
The robber ran off to the corner of Rata St into Forest Lake Rd, where the Yuens lost sight of him.
"While we can understand Mr Yuen's frustration, police can't condone his action –- the offender could have been drunk or on mind-altering substances and the situation could have been made an awful lot worse."
It wasn't the first time the couple had been attacked. In June 2004 the shop was robbed at gunpoint.
In June 1996 Mr Yuen was attacked by a robber and beaten about the face with a hammer until his wife, shielding their three-year-old child, struck the assailant with a meat cleaver, driving him off.
Anyone with any information on the robbery is asked to phone Hamilton police.
Chop-Suey!
Ping
And it also could have been an awful lot worse if he hadn't defended himself.
It's a call that the person on the scene has to make. I can understand the idea that it's better to hand over the money than put your life at risk, or those of other people, and there's circumstances where I might even decide that discretion is the better part of valour.
But what this guy did worked - and so, second guessing him because it might not have seems crazy.
Yeah, the offender could have knifed Lloyd Yuen.
> "While we can understand Mr Yuen's frustration, police can't condone his action –- the offender could have been drunk or on mind-altering substances and the situation could have been made an awful lot worse."
TOSH. And I can't condone the Police attitude in this situation. They keep advising New Zealanders to sit back and tolerate crime happening to them, to be passive victims.
This makes crime a risk-free occupation, with little chance of getting caught. Surely this makes the situation worse, not better!
Of course, in my view, some police may well have good reasons for giving this advice: such as Job Security.
As to potential risk, well in this case, my money's on the hard-working sober Chinese immigrant with the Meat Cleaver, and good luck to the scroat on mind-altering substances.
Who would want to eat at a restaurant on Rata Street?
(2007) A Hamilton store owner tired of being held up decided to fight back yesterday and, armed with a meat cleaver, scared off a knife-wielding robber.
Sounds like Mr. Yuen was smart enough to learn from his wife and brave enough to put the lesson into practice. Good on both of them.
He had to move because meat was getting scarce on Canine Lane...
>>"While we can understand Mr Yuen's frustration, police can't condone his action –- the offender could have been drunk or on mind-altering substances and the situation could have been made an awful lot worse."<<
Sorry but my compassion has done been cut out. Yup, all of it.
> Who would want to eat at a restaurant on Rata Street?
(grin!) a good chuckle on two-or-three levels...
"Rata" is a type of tree here: dark green leaves with beautiful red flowers that bloom around Christmastime. A sacred tree to Maori.
Of course, there is the "rat" thing, too...
...with the added twist. In Polynesia, there is a type of rat called "Kiore": introduced into NZ by the original Maori settlers as a delicacy foodstuff. Apparently tasty and nutricious. Me, I shoot 'em with my .177 cal air rifle (1000 fps muzzle velocity, turns 'em inside-out). Never been tempted to taste 'em: too much of a jolly mess!
Hee-hee! That's just *classic*!!!
Have you ever seen those chop-socky kung fu movies, where two-or-three dozen asian chefs grab meat cleavers from the chopping block and chase the pro/antagonist thru narrow alleys and dark corners?
I'm willing to bet those scenes will run thru this particular perpetrator's mind nonstop in his nitemares!
Good on Mr Yuen. If more folk had the balls to do like he did, crime would drop in NZ quick-smart.
And next time I'm in Hamilton I shall deliberately dine at his establishment: for as they say, "no good deed shall go unpunished!"
Kia Kaha
*DieHard*
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.