mairi kerin

Ginger Rogers once said, "There's nothing a man can do, that I can't do better and in heels." The quote is often used to celebrate the ability of women, but recently one woman was awarded for bringing the famous quote to life when a local convenience store was about to be robbed. Mairi Kerin, 42, stopped by the store to purchase some chocolate for her nieces when she was forced to make a split second decision.

The woman stands at the counter to pay for the treats when a masked man in a hood walks up next to her. Kerin is already cautious of the man due to noticing him in the parking lot appearing suspicious, she explains to SWNS, "As I got out of the car I noticed this person all covered up and thought, ‘You look like you’re going to rob a shop’," before quickly shaking the thought with a reminder. "You can’t think that about people, can’t pigeon-hole people like that… Maybe he’s just got a bike somewhere, he’s been out riding, or whatever.”

But her instincts were right; the man was up to no good and she was about to find out in just a few seconds. The shopkeeper notices the hooded man put something against the door to block it. This prompted the shopkeeper to ask why. The hooded man's answer was chilling. According to Kerin, he calmly replied, "Because I’m going to take your money."

Kerin may have appeared uncomfortable due to breaking in a new pair of heels, but that didn't stop her from utilizing her fighting skills. The woman is a medal-winning Wado-kai karate black belt who has is also trained in Brazilian jujitsu and boxing. Though she was struggling through pain, she managed to quickly thwart the would-be robber. Watch:

"I was wearing new heels at the time and I was trying to break them in–I hadn’t worn heels since lockdown so I needed some practice. That, the bad back, and just not being in the mood resulted in that swagger back to the desk. It makes me laugh when I watch it now," she says to Metro UK.

The man, later identified as Jordan Hickman, probably also walked away a little funny because when Kerin hears the man say he's planning to rob the store, she swiftly assesses the situation and takes action. Noticing his hand in his pocket likely on a weapon, the woman grabs his arm and delivers several powerful kicks in his shin causing the criminal to flee. The entire ordeal was caught on CCTV, aiding in the capture of Hickman and two others—21-year-old Jake Jones and an 18-year-old—who had all been on a robbery spree in Telford, England. All three men were sentenced to a combined 18 years in prison and Kerin was awarded with a Police Chief Superintendent Commendation Award by West Mercia Police for her heroic action.

If you're wondering if Kerin was frightened when fighting off the criminal in her heels, she wasn't afraid at all.

"The time was right, and I’m glad I was there. People have asked whether I was scared. No, I was not. I’ve imagined taking the legs of far more people than I will ever need to and have trained with this type of event in mind for over 20 years. I have sparred in full-contact sessions with people far heavier than me and have been through the mill many times. In my opinion this is not stupidity or bravado, it’s a reflection of self-belief," Kerin told Metro UK.

While the woman may not be impressed by her achievement, plenty of others are, especially since she did it with aching feet in a brand new pair of high heels.