It was shortly after ten o'clock at night when the young man entered the kiosk in north-east Dortmund. He had a balaclava on and a gun in his hand.

The robber immediately demanded that the shopkeeper give him all the money in the till, report the local police.

But instead of obeying, the shopkeeper went on the counter-attack, using the only weapon he had to hand – lollipops.

The surprise attack had the desired effect. The young man ran from the shop and up the street in the company of an accomplice.

But he made a mistake. In front of the shop he pulled the balaclava up and looked back at the kiosk, giving the shopkeeper a clear sight of his face.

Thanks to the shopkeeper's detailed description, the police were able to detain two 15-year-olds on whom they found a balaclava and a gun. It is not clear whether there were any lollies still stuck to the balaclava.

The pair were subsequently arrested.