Shopkeeper tells of terror after being 'bitten and slashed in the face by gang of teenage thugs'

Crime reporter(wp/es):

A shopkeeper has told how he was bitten and then slashed in the face with a knife by a gang of teenagers trying to buy cigarettes and alcohol. 

Saeed Haleem said he is now terrified to be in his shop alone after the shocking attack at the store in Edgware Road. 

The 43-year-old said he and his 21-year-old colleague were "lucky to be alive" after the ordeal at Station Food and Wines.

He told the Standard a gang of three teenagers had tried to buy alcohol and cigarettes despite having no ID.

He said violence erupted when the boys returned for a third time and tried to leave without paying for a soft drink.

He said violence erupted when the boys returned for a third time and tried to leave without paying for a soft drink.

Mr Haleem said: “My shop worker followed the boy and tried to get the drink and he punched him.

"We cannot hit back, they were children, we were trying to push them out of the door when the smallest one bit me and pulled out a knife. 

“It was very scary, terrifying. We didn’t expect him to have a knife.”

Mr Haleem, who lives in Hendon, was knifed in the side of his face during the vicious attack and thugs smashed a bottle over his employee’s head.

The pair were rushed to hospital and the shopkeepers claims he is now “afraid” to be in the shop on his own. 

He added: “It is scary, in this business this is happening more and more.

“You don’t like to be there on your own.

“There are good and bad people in this world and the scary thing is you don’t know who the good ones are anymore.”

Mr Haleem was forced to have four stitches in his face after the attack.

Police, who were called at 2.15pm to reports of a fight in the shop, have now released CCTV footage of three boys they want to find and speak to following the attack.

The clip shows a struggle continuing down the aisles as the appalling assault carries on.

PC Richard Kidd, from Westminster CID, said: "Both of the victims are very fortunate not to have suffered a fatal injury as a result of this attack."

The first suspect is described as average build with short black hair, a grey hooded top, black trousers and black shoes.

The second suspect is slim with short black hair and was also wearing a grey hoodie, black trousers and black shoes.

The third suspect is of slim build and wearing a black top.