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A masked raider left empty handed after trying to rob a Chinese take away, when the chef ran after him with a soup ladle.

The suspect, who police say is wanted for three other knife-point robberies in the area, started to jump over the counter in the Chen's Garden restaurant.

The robber had a large knife in his hand, but seconds later he was confronted by the store's owner who came charging out armed with a kitchen knife.

He was then followed by the shop's chef who was screaming and swearing at the suspect, while waving his soup ladle in the air.

(Image: NYPD)

Business owner Yan Lin told the Daily News in New York: "I wasn’t scared.

"Maybe because I own the restaurant and I didn’t want him to take the money."

The 40-year-old said as soon as he saw the guy she grabbed a knife as he didn't want the guy to come over the counter.

She was joined by cook Liu Chun who also grabbed a stool and chased the man back on to the street in the Brooklyn area of New York, on Wednesday, January 4.

(Image: NYPD)

Ms Lin had been frying chicken wings and Mr Chun was preparing Mein Fun noodles when the attacker entered the business.

He left the area before police were called, but Ms Lin had a message for him.

She added: "We don’t only have knives, but we have hot oil.

"If I had thought about it, I would have poured the oil on him.

(Image: NYPD)

"I don’t want to hurt anybody. But don’t come back."

Police say just 20 minutes before arriving at Chen’s Garden, the same masked man entered a nearby Baskin-Robbins and robbed a 24-year-old worker of $533 (about £434).

Cops also believe he brandished a knife at a 26-year-old cashier at a KFC/Taco Bell a block away and demanded the night’s proceeds back on December 29.

(Image: NYPD)

She gave him about $900 (£733) from the till shortly before midnight.

And on December 19, he held up a Dunkin’ Donuts on Flatlands Avenue, near the scenes of the other robberies.

Police say he passed a note to the employee and escaped with $320 in cash (about £260).

The suspect is still at large.