WATCH: CCTV Of Sunderland Shop Robbery

13 November 2014, 09:26 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

A machete-wielding raider has been caught on camera being fought off by a shopkeeper as he tried to rob a newsagents in Sunderland.

The attacker is seen entering Max & Sons in Sunderland wearing a balaclava and start to wave the weapon at the member of staff.

A confrontation quickly develops when the shopkeeper starts to defend himself and the attacker eventually flees empty handed.

Police investigating the incident, which took place just after 6am on Saturday, said someone would know who the man was and have asked them to come forward.

Acting Detective Sergeant Nick Lawrance, of Northumbria Police, said:
"The footage is clearly distressing as it shows the man going in armed with the machete and struggling with the shopkeeper.

This sort of incident is extremely unusual in the area and I'd like to reassure people we're doing everything we can to trace the man in the CCTV.

This is why we've released the images - we want people to let us know who this is. Someone out there will have information about who this is and I'd encourage them to get in touch with us, anonymously if necessary.

Even if they think the information is insignificant it could be the vital piece we need.''