Egyptian 'hero' pins down Selfridges' thief

Six men, armed with axes, may have attempted to carry out a "smash-and-grab" raid at London's luxury department Selfridges in Oxford Street, on Thursday, but there was no escaping Mohamed Hussein, a Egyptian waiter - who has been hailed as a "hero" - after running out of a pizza restaurant nearby and pinning down one of the robbers. Twenty-nine-year-old Hussein - a bodybuilder and law student - described as a “Vin Diesel action hero,” held the man with the help of others nearby. However, the modest man went on to say: “I feel confident anyone would do this. I am no hero.” Scotland Yard said a group of six men, all dressed in burkas, entered the store at about 8.30pm, just before closing time on Thursday. Witnesses said it appeared the men had disguised themselves as rich Arab women, with some carrying designer handbags. They mingled with hundreds of shoppers before producing axes and smashing their way into display cabinets, stuffing dozens of watches worth tens of thousands of pounds into bags. They fled and jumped on to at least three waiting motorcycles. Two of the raiders got on to a moped but it crashed yards from Selfridges. One, dressed in a burka, struggled to rise after breaking his leg and the other, in a bike helmet, was wrestled to the ground by Mr Hussein. Scotland Yard praised the “brave and quick-thinking” people who tackled two members of the gang. One thief was being treated in hospital for a broken leg and the man cornered by Mr Hussein was being interviewed at a central London police station. Two other stolen motorcycles were found in the Paddington area. Detective Chief Inspector Andy Noyes, of the Flying Squad, said: “This was a brazen robbery and appears to have been well planned and thought through. Fortunately, no one was injured. The store was very busy and this will have been a shocking thing for people to witness. “I would like to thank those members of the public who stepped in and detained our two suspects. Their quick thinking and brave actions have helped our investigation.” Police appealed for anyone who witnessed the robbery to contact them.