03. 09. 10. - 12:00

Newsagent fends off crooks with Birkenstocks

A courageous tobacconist scared away a pair of robbers beating them with his slippers yesterday (Thurs).

Peter M. took shelter under the counter of his newsagent in Vienna-Meidling when the unmasked crooks used pepper spray. He then grabbed his Birkenstocks to hit them.

"I yelled at them to make a move and they followed my advice," the 55-year-old said today.

Police said the duo, who escaped without any loot, were between 20 and 20 years old.

This incident comes just weeks after two would-be robbers fled in horror without any loot when their Viennese tobacconist victim, 40, began clubbing them with a wooden stick she kept behind the counter for self protection.