A North Belfast shop owner has vowed she will not be put out of business after the third armed robbery of her store in just two months. On Friday (January 20) four male youths, one armed with a hammer, entered the Your Store at the corner of the Cavehill Road and Willowbank Gardens. They threatened the terrified assistant before making off with a sum of money.

Last month (December 18) a man armed with a knife stole £265 from the till of the store and in November a man dressed as an Egyptian mummy wielding a butcher knife robbed the Cavehill Road store. A pregnant shop assistant who was working at the time was left terrified by the ordeal.

Another female member of staff who was on duty in December quit her post because of the ordeal.

The owner of the store, who is too frightened to be named, described those who robbed her store as “scum”.

“”It is very frightening for the assistants who are working in the shop, it’s a terrible ordeal for them,” she said.

“I am angry, I really am, that scum like this can go into a person’s shops and just do this to them. Especially when there is a police station just down the road. The ones who did this are just scum, that is all they are.”

The shop owner said although she had been considering shutting up shop, she refuses to let thieves destroy her livelihood.

“You just have to get on with it, I’m not going to let them put me out of business,” she stated.

A police spokesman said they had been in regular contact with the shop owner

“Police have been liaising with the owner of commercial premises on the Cavehill Road; which has been the subject of three armed robbery incidents since November 2011 in relation to steps which can be taken to enhance premises security,” he said.

“Police would reiterate their appeal for anyone who has information relating to any of the incidents, to contact Antrim Road CID on 0845 600 8000, or alternatively information can be provided anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”