A SHOPKEEPER who fought off an armed robber today conceded it will be “difficult” for police to catch the culprit.
Mohammed Saleem was speaking after detectives told him they were struggling for leads in the case.
Mohammed was targeted at his St Giles News Plus store in St Mary’s on Saturday morning by a man wielding a knife.
The suspect left empty-handed after Mohammed grabbed the knife he was holding and tried to wrestle it off him before it snapped into two pieces.
Five days on from the failed robbery, police are still trying to identify the man as part of their large-scale investigation.
Officers have carried out door-to-door inquiries and officers from Tayside Division’s CID have visited the shop to provide an update.
The newsagent praised police for their efforts so far as he awaits a “breakthrough”.
He said: “CID have been round, but unfortunately they said they haven’t heard anything yet.
“It was a man and a woman that came round and they just said they will keep trying, but nobody has told them anything.
“The police did door-to-door inquiries in the area on Tuesday as well.
“I think because the man was fully covered it’s going to be difficult to catch him.
“But someone must have seen him put the jacket on or even when he took it off after leaving the shop.
“The police are trying really hard though, so I’m hoping they get a breakthrough.
“They haven’t been able to find the man’s clothes or the knife he was carrying.
“I just hope the man doesn’t come back.”
Meanwhile, Mohammed says he has been inundated with praise from customers after CCTV images emerged of him fending off the masked raider.
He said: “The customers have been really good to me.
“Everyone has been saying, ‘You are the brave man who fought off the knife man’.
“People have been calling me ‘brave’ and ‘a hero’, but I can assure you I was scared when he took the knife out.”
The man suspected of carrying out the botched robbery is described as white, mid-twenties in age, approximately 5ft 9in tall and of slim build.
He was wearing a large black jacket, dark coloured dress trousers and dark dress shoes.
He was said to have spoken with a Dundee accent.
Anyone with information can contact Crimestoppers anonymously or call police on 101.