Woman in her 70s takes on armed robbers: Brave or Foolish

[John Simkin]

Was this woman brave or foolish?

The woman - thought to be aged in her 70s - was caught on video camera running across a road towards the six-strong mob as they shattered the windows of a jeweller's in Northampton.

The robbers, who arrived on three scooters, fled seconds after the red-coated pensioner, who does not wish to be named, began lashing out at them with a big black handbag.

The brave elderly lady said that when she first saw the gang she originally thought there was a fight going on and it was only when she got closer to them that she realised it was a robbery in the making.

She said she felt angry the gang thought they could get away with it and when one of the men on a scooter nearly ploughed into a woman and a baby in its buggy, she decided to leap into action.

'I clobbered him with my shopping but he got away,' she told the Northampton Chronicle.

'The rest of them were still trying to smash and grab at the jewellery.

'I didn't know what happened next but I just kept swinging my bag.'

She went on to describe how she 'landed several blows' on the back of one of the robbers and brought him to the ground as he tried to get away on his scooter.

The video footage also showed other members of the public pinning down the man who had fallen from one of the scooters just yards away from the jeweller's.

She said now she just wanted to be left in peace and added: 'I'm not a hero and it was maybe foolish of me to get involved but somebody had to do something.'

Police were called to the scene, on the corner of Gold Street and Bridge Street, at 9.30am yesterday after the raiders began to smash the store's front windows using sledgehammers.

Four men, aged 18, 22, 25 and 39, have been arrested and police are now looking for a further two who are believed to have been involved in the incident.

A spokesman for Northampton Police said: 'The offenders were disturbed by members of the public and fled the area without taking anything.

'One of the offenders was detained by members of the public and the other three men were arrested by police a short time later.'

Watch the incredible video below:

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