Shocking Video Of Attempted Robbery Where Elderly Woman Is Wrestled To The Ground

29 May 2019, 16:29 | Updated: 28 October 2019, 15:21

This is the sickening moment a would-be robber wrestled an elderly woman to the ground and tried to steal gold bangles from her wrist before being chased off by a passing taxi driver.

The offender was riding past on a bicycle when he disembarked and seized the woman, aged in her 70s, who was checking whether her bin had been emptied.

A passing driver saw the attempted robbery unfolding and got out of his car to give chase to the assailant. He alerted a second taxi driver to the incident but the offender was able to escape on his bicycle.

The offender didn’t steal any items from the woman.

The offender is described as white, of skinny build and aged in his early 20s.

Constable Daniel Cox of GMP’s City of Manchester Division said: “This was a shocking attack on an elderly woman, carried out in broad daylight in full view of other members of the public.

“I’d like to thank the passing taxi driver whose quick-thinking actions meant this brazen offender didn’t manage to steal anything.

“We know that everyone in the community will share our disgust at this incident. While the elderly woman was left with only superficial bruising to her wrist and pain to her hip, the psychological effects of crimes such as this can be considerable.

“We’re confident that there are several people who saw this crime take place. There are also likely to be witnesses who saw the offender on his bike shortly before and after the incident."

Police have asked anyone with any information to contact them.