Shopkeeper killed for drinks

A shopkeeper has been stabbed to death for the price of two bottles of spirits.

Mahmut Fahri, who had run his London grocery store for more than 10 years, was sprayed in the face and then stabbed three times after he tried to stop two men who had grabbed two bottles from behind the counter.

Mr Fahri, a 59-year-old father of two, tried to give chase, but collapsed in the doorway of a taxi firm and died later at North Middlesex Hospital.

The Turkish Cypriot was on his own in Albion Stores in Whittington Road, Bounds Green, when the attack took place at

9.15 last night. His wife Pembe, who had just left, did not like to leave her husband alone in the shop because he had been robbed twice before.

The two assailants were described as of Asian or Turkish origin. One was aged about 35, the other in his mid twenties.

A controller of nearby minicab firm Cavendish Radio Cars today described how the victim staggered into its office and fell on top of a driver.

The woman, who did not want to be named, said: "He came up to the driver standing by the door and he collapsed on him; he had been pepper-sprayed. The driver did not know at the time he had been stabbed until all the blood started going everywhere."

Another controller, who was working at the time, called the emergency services.

Neighbours expressed shock and disbelief at the murder at the store, which was a centre point for the community. Many residents dropped in to spend time with the popular couple and chat with the victim, who was a big football fanatic and spoke four languages. One neighbour, Bob Lawler, 60, paid tribute to his friend. He said: "He would work all the hours in the day and he was such a nice person. I would always talk to him about football.

"I didn't hear any commotion last night. The first I heard was when my wife phoned when she was coming back from work and said she couldn't get through the street."

Another neighbour and good friend, Vartan Soultan, 58, said: "We used to speak to him a lot. He was friendly to everybody and he was a good chap."

The senior officer leading the hunt for the killers, DCI Dick Langley, said: "At this early stage the motive for this appalling crime appears to be

robbery. It is shocking to think a man has died over the theft of two bottles of alcohol.

"I would appeal for anyone with information or any witnesses to contact the incident room as soon as possible."