A HEROIC shopkeeper chased down a gang of thieves who were driving away with stolen cash from his family-run shop.

Sabby Saini, who lives and works at Best-One in Lye Valley, Oxford, ran after after a people carrier full of people who had just stolen money from the small business on Tuesday afternoon.

Thames Valley Police has issued an alert warning other businesses and shops to be vigilant after five women and two men came into the Cinnaminta Road shop.

Six of the gang, who police believe may strike again, distracted the employees by looking around the shop and buying various items.

One of the women then slipped out to the back of the store and stole cash.

Mr Saini saw the woman on security cameras upstairs and ran down to the shop floor.

He said: “I ran out, but by then they had already got what they wanted.”

The group fled the scene armed with the stolen goods and jumped into a black Seat Alhambra.

Mr Saini’s mother, Santosh Kumari, said: “One lady shut her scarf in the boot and put it over the number plate.”

Her 31-year-old son then chased the people carrier on foot while on the phone to police and managed to catch up with the vehicle.

He said: “I ripped off the scarf and took a picture of the number plate on my phone – which the police now have.”

He said that 'most people would do the same thing in his situation' and added: “If somebody’s been in your house, then you do it.”

In the police alert appealing for witnesses, officers urged small businesses to bank their cash daily during the festive period in case the gang strike again.

In a statement, police said: “It is believed that this group of people are travelling around the area specifically targeting small businesses that may have cash on the premises.”

Mrs Kumari said the family will be careful to avoid anything similar happening in future.

She said: “Sometimes you need cash in the shop because you are going to the cash and carry.

“Nobody thinks about it. My back door was open, and it had been like that way for a long time - we’ve been here six or seven years now.”

Mr Saini added: “The same thing happened in Kennington, with the same people – because they also saw the number plate.”

Police urged shopkeepers to remain vigilant of large groups who are unfamiliar customers coming into businesses.

If you saw the incident, or have any information that may assist the investigation, report it online at thamesvalley.police.uk, on the phone via 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously using the reference number 43180370711.