Chesham Bois' Londis owner receives support after axe attack

At 5.30pm on Thursday, February 22, two people entered the Chesham Bois Londis branch demanding cash.

As the shop’s owner, Harpal Singh, followed their orders, one of the perpetrators went behind the counter and stuck him over the head with an axe.

Mr Harpal Singh was attacked on February 22 in Chesham Bois (Image: NQ)

The two then fled the scene with a quantity of cash and vapes, whilst Mr Singh ‘crawled’ to a phone to call for an ambulance and the police.

He was taken to a nearby hospital with ‘serious’ injuries, before being discharged on Sunday, February 25.

Mr Singh is now at home recovering.

Following the attack, a Crowdfunding page was launched with well over £6,000 being raised.

Many people wrote in a book of support for Mr Singh (Image: NQ)

Additionally, one week after the attack, residents of the village and regular customers attended the shop on February 29 to show their support for the injured shop owner.

Markus Green, who is the shop manager, told the Free Press: “Crime is a rare occurrence in the area.

"We want to stand up for victims who have been impacted by similar cases.

“We’ve never experienced anything like this before, so we’ve been overwhelmed by the support we’ve got."

Following the incident, the Bois Lane shop was closed for the remainder of February 22 but reopened roughly 24 hours later on February 23.

Mr Green explained that whilst the decision was ‘difficult’, he wanted to show ‘defiance’.

Members of the public attended the shop on February 29 (Image: NQ)

He continued: “It’s been difficult but we’re trying to get over it.

“Time is a good healer as this incident has brought us together and my team have been fantastic.

“We reopened as an act of defiance as we don’t want to be counted out by this.

“It was difficult but we're here for the community."

Resident, Tracey Kennedy, said: “It was a huge shock to hear what happened and I get quite emotional thinking about it, because of how scared he [Mr Singh] must have been.

“I’ve lived here for 20 years and have never experienced anything like this – there’s hardly any crime and then something of this magnitude happens.

“I walk past this shop every day with my dog so to hear this has happened is frightening.

The appeal that was put up on the shop window - three arrests have since been made (Image: NQ)

“I’ve walked my dog in the dark countless times and have never worried, but now, I’ll be looking over my shoulder.”

Following the incident, a 31-year-old man from Croydon, a 26-year-old man from Amersham and a 15-year-old boy of no fixed abode were all arrested on suspicion of two counts of robbery.

The second count is related to a robbery in Amersham, with Thames Valley Police believing both crimes were linked.