Woman in Heels Stops Robbery at Convenience Store With Her Impressive Martial Arts Skills

A 42-year-old woman stopped a robbery at a convenience store by using her impressive martial arts skills, sending the would-be thief scrambling and on his way! Karate expert Mairi Kerin dropped into the LOCO store in Telford, Shropshire, England, to get candy for her nieces and found herself in the middle of a dangerous situation. However, she jumped into action using her self-defense training and quick wits and prevented any loss or harm to the store employee or herself. CCTV captured the incident on video.

Before entering the store, Mairi had noticed the man in the parking lot. She thought he looked suspicious but quickly dismissed her concerns. Mairi told Good News Network, “As I got out of the car I noticed this person all covered up and thought ‘You look like you’re going to rob a shop’.” She then reminded herself, “You can’t think that about people, can’t pigeon-hole people like that… Maybe he’s just got a bike somewhere, he’s been out riding, or whatever.”

She Realized the Man Was Going to Rob the Store

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Mairi went into the store and made her selections at the counter, and soon, the man was in the store next to her. She recalled, “I heard the shopkeeper ask, ‘Why did you put something against the door?’, and I heard him reply, ‘Because I’m going to take your money’. He said it really cool, really calm.”

The Staffordshire resident took action. “He stepped forward, I could see his pockets were full and I thought he had weapons, my eyes were glued to his pockets. When I saw his left hand still in his pocket I took the chance,” said Mairi.

Grabbing the robber’s arm, Mairi delivered a couple of hard kicks to his shin, sending him running and thwarting the heist! Mairi is not only a medal-winning Wadokai Karate expert, but she is also proficient in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and boxing. 

She Didn’t Think Twice About Stopping the Robbery

Mairi didn’t think twice about taking action. Without knowing whether there was a knife or gun in the man’s left pocket, she chose to come to the defense of the LOCO store staff member. While it wasn’t funny at the time, she admits that she laughs a bit now—after seeing her John Wayne-type swagger as she makes her way back to the counter after the man fled.

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“I was wearing new heels at the time and I was trying to break them in. I hadn’t worn heels since lockdown so I needed some practice. It makes me laugh when I watch it now,” Mairi explained.

The Police Chief Superintendent of West Mercia Police awarded Mairi a Commendation Award for her heroic actions on March 3. However, Mairi doesn’t attribute her decision to get involved to bravery. She says it’s due to the self-belief she’s gained after 20 years of martial arts training; she’s represented England and the Republic of Ireland during those years of training.

She Had Been Trained For This Type of Event

She shared, “I’ve trained with this type of event in mind (and) sparred in full-contact sessions with people far heavier than me. In my opinion this is not stupidity or bravado, it’s a reflection of self-belief.”

The suspect was caught and jailed for attempted robbery, and a gang that was committing robberies across Telford in March 2023 was identified. Three individuals were arrested and will serve a combined jail sentence of 18 years for their involvement. Chief Superintendent Edd Williams applauded Mairi, calling her intervention “an inspiring act of bravery from an upstanding member of the public.” 

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“So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” Matthew 24:44

WATCH:  Woman Stops Robbery With Her Martial Arts Skills

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h/t: Good News Network

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Hally is a freelance writer, blogger, and mental health advocate. A former school counselor, Hally works for a nonprofit that distributes tax dollars to mental health and prevention education providers that serve her county's kids and families. She's a contributor to a devotional and two essay collectives, and she shares resources and wisdom regarding parenting teens, mental health, faith, adoption, and more at https://www.hallyjwells.com where she strives to "Dig Deep and Reach High." She and her husband have three adult children and one rascally beagle pup. Hally loves travel, her book club sisters, personality tests, and a great glass of iced tea.