Oxclose Convenience Store attempted robbery - 5 years on.

Published 17th Nov 2016

Police are continuing to appeal for information about an attempted robbery in Washington that happened five years ago to the day. On the evening of Children in Need in 2011 - exactly five years ago today - David Basrai was attacked by two men who tried to rob Oxclose Convenience Store in Oxclose Village Centre. Mr Basrai was seriously injured but managed to make his way home and call police. He was taken to hospital where he spent a considerable amount of time recovering from his injuries. The attempted robbery happened between 8.20pm and 8.30pm on Friday, November 18, 2011, as Mr Basrai was closing the store. No-one has been arrested for the attack - leaving Mr Basrai and his family without any closure. Detectives are renewing their appeal on the fifth anniversary of the attack in the hope it will jog someone's memory and someone may remember crucial information to help catch those responsible. Chief Inspector Jerry Pearson said: "It is exactly five years to the day that Mr Basrai was brutally attacked by two men who left him for dead. His bravery meant he was able to make his way home to get help and after a long battle survive the horrific injuries he suffered. But, while Mr Basrai survived his physical injuries, he and his family have been left mentally scarred by the events that happened on Children in Need night in 2011. "We're renewing our appeal in the hope someone will come forward with information that will help us find the men responsible for this attack. "People will know who did this and I would ask those people to think about how they would feel if this was their husband, dad, brother or son - you would want to see those responsible arrested and put before the courts. If you have any information pass this on, you can do so in the strictest of confidence and anonymously." Mr Basrai and his family have released the following statement: "We need closure. It has been five years to the day and each year Children in Need is an awful reminder of what happened on that night five years ago. We have never been able to forget what happened and the whole family has been left scarred. Our life has been completely changed, we had to get rid of the shop and have to live with the fact that no-one has been caught. "It is exactly five years to the day and we're hopeful someone may remember seeing something, or maybe they have information but have never passed it to police. We would ask they please do, even if they want to give the information anonymously. Please pass this on, we need to be able to move on and we can only do this if the men are found."