Square dancing granny thwarts jewelry store robbery

A knife-wielding robber attempting to clean out a jewelry store in Taizhou, Zhejiang province was stopped thanks to the owner's elderly mother, who owes her crime fighting skills to fitness line dancing.

Police detained the 35-year-old suspect surnamed Zhou, who is still in belief he was foiled by the sexagenarian, surnamed Li.

"Does she practice kung fu or something? How is she so strong?" Zhou told police.

Zhou entered the jewelers around 7 pm on Thursday brandishing a knife.

Chatting with a neighbor outside the shop, Li said she sensed something was wrong when she rushed inside to find the robbery in progress.

Witnesses said Li grabbed the robber's arm with the knife from behind.

"He was very thin and seemed to be nervous. His hand kept trembling," said Li.

A salesman seized the opportunity to shock the robber with a taser.

The store's owner said his mother keeps fit by line dancing in a nearby square daily. "I pity the fool that has a run-in with my mother," he said.