Friday, June 05, 2009

A day of unusual happenings

Just had to write a short post to tell you about this, because it was so bizarre. I got mugged this morning! A block from my house! So weird. I was walking into town, with my iPod on, when this guy ran up from behind me and grabbed my handbag. We wrestled for it a bit - I was screaming at him - and the straps broke. Bastard! It was my favourite vintage bag. He didn't get it, though, because I was hanging on like grim death and swearing like a sailor (on leave). He gave up and ran off around the corner. Then a courier van screeched past me, following him. It turned out that he had robbed our local jeweller (why would you try and grab a handbag when you had just stolen a handful of diamond rings?), and was pursued by the shop-owner and a couple of other guys who had seen it happen - one of whom was a courier. They followed him to a house around the corner from ours, where he had tried to hide. He was banging on the door trying to get in. They pinned him down (by sitting on him - quite comical to watch) and called the police, and we all hung around waiting for them. A couple of lovely old ladies who lived next door brought me out a cup of tea with two sugars - "for the shock" - and then we all gave statements. Apparently at some point I have to go in to the police station and give a more detailed one. So yes, exciting and unpleasant start to the day.

My poor little handbag, all injured and maimed! At least he didn't manage to get it.

43 comments:

Pony said...

ugh, how horrible! so glad to hear that you hung on to the bag, and that he was later sat on!! i'm also glad to hear you're okay, though understandably shaken.

as thieves go, he sounds unbelievably stupid.

take care, petal, and i'm so sorry about your lovely bag :(

Rachael King said...

Oh wow how horrible! And what an idiot! I often wonder what the point of handbag snatching is in this day and age where people don't carry cash...

I hope you can recall how you felt at the time - good grist for the literary mill!

Rosina Lee said...

Wow that would of certainly given you a shock to the system! Your poor bag I wonder if your local shoe repair man maybe able to fashion you some new straps

donna said...

Great material for the next book!

Glad you weren't hurt...

Christina said...

Oh my gosh are you ok? What a nutter! I'm glad he didn't take off with your bag though - good on you for giving him a fight! Hope you have an incredibly relaxing rest of the day to make up for the shock and weirdness :)

Scribbles said...

The mental picture I have of you fighting back is hilarious - sorry to say hun! That robber clearly missed with the wrong girl :D Daft people get their just desserts sometimes.

I'm happy that it was the bag that got damaged in the scuffle, not your sweet self.

Diana said...

Your handbag got the worst of it! Glad to hear you are safe!

Holly said...

Oh my gosh! How awful! That would have been really scary! But good on you for hanging on and not letting him steal your bag!

I am glad to hear that he was sat upon. Sounds like he got what he deserved. HAHA!

I'm sorry about your bag, but I'm glad it wasn't you that got injured and maimed! :O

Sounds a bit like this incident of mine, and also in the same part of town, I think!?

http://holly.normania.net/2007/04/23/criminals

Sara said...

Thank God you're okay!!

Toulouse said...

Gosh what a morning, I'm very glad they caught the idiot and more importantly, the beloved bag was saved!
Well done for putting up a fight x

Fashion and more said...

Brave girl, glad you are ok

fröken lila said...

oh, this sounds like an exciting and not so much fun way of starting the day.. i do hope you feel better now and i also hope you can find another favourite vintage bag to replace the broken one - or maybe somebody can repair it?

The Seeker said...

Oh dear, what a bad experience.
Horrible indeed.
Glad you didn't hurt yourself and hope your mind and soul wouldn't suffer.

Have a rested weekend, dear

xoxo

muchlove said...

OMG, I'm glad you're alright! You're very brave, I'm too scared too imagine how I would react if I were in your shoes.

Hope the rest of your weekend is much MUCH better.

Anna said...

That's horrible (although the way you tell it, it's also a little bit funny). I'm glad you're safe and that the criminal was apprehended. He sounds like a real treat.

I hope your bag can be fixed!

NoirGirl said...

Oh my gosh! I feel very sorry for you precious purse!

Although it is kind of a funny story... :) And the bad guy lost in the end! What a stupid jerk. He deserved to be sat on!

macyaverage said...

very, very glad that he didn't manage to take your handbag. And shame on him, really. How was he to know that you had such strength? Good on you ;)

elena-lu said...

im glad it was your handbag that got the worst of it because i couldnt hear that it was you that did no maam i would get on a plane and seek this idiot out and beat the poopy out of him ! ok im better now i just had to get that out, i just cant stand it when people try to hurt others and for a handbag? and you just hit a jewelry store? and and oh he just sounds like a big dummy who got what he deserved !
but you are so strong! im sure i wouldve been in tears and not been able to move let alone fight back! oh dear must be more agressive.
glad to hear you are shaken but not hurt and maybe the rest of the weekend will now bring brilliantly positive and beautiful times eh?
i do hope so, hugs to you
big big hugs! :)

Raquelle said...

Oh my! At least you are okay and the criminal was caught.

Amber said...

Oh my god!! I'm so happy you're alright!! So sorry about the handbag but I'm glad you're okay! Really, some people just make me very vehement about humanity.
Sigh.
Will try to send some love soon!

Kaileigh said...

Oh my gosh! Well, I am sorry about the ruined purse, but glad you are okay! That is scary.

Morena Doll said...

Oh no!
Gosh I'm just glad you're okay. And a handbag can always be fixed, but a stolen item can't usually be replaced. So I'm very happy you wrestled him for it. :) I would have done the same.

I thought mugging only happened in NY. Haha, looks like they're everywhere. Silly me.

C, literalmente rubia said...

Hi, i just discovered your blog, i love write so i think your posts are very useful to me.

i have a silly question what is that "new book word count" gadget? it counts the words from the book you are writing??

sorry if this is stupid, but im curious.

my english is bad...

Maggie May said...

I'm so glad you are ok.

K.Line said...

OMG - such a hideous, scary violation! So sorry to hear about this. But what a great way you've told the tale. I'm sure you will get some mileage out of this in your writing. And so happy you are well and no money was stolen. (Poor bag!)

megan said...

That is a crazy story! What an overambitious robber (or maybe it just really was that nice of a vintage purse!). I'm glad you're okay - you were brave and wonderful.

Charlie said...

What a horrible thing to have happened! I can't believe it happened to you! I hope your doing alright, glad he didn't hurt you or anything. Does seem a bit funny in the head to go after your poor little handbag just after his robbed the jewelery store! Glad he didn't run off with you stuff!

Milla said...

oh poor andrea!

andrea said...

Oh my goodness! I'm glad you are ok. And good for you for giving him hell!

Penelope Nightingale said...

Oh my, that's absolutely awful! What a scary situation to be in! I'm happy to hear that you're alright, however, I'm sorry to hear about your purse =(. I would have been so pissed! I'm glad that they caught him.

Pansy said...

OMG that is terrifying! I'm so so glad you're okay, thank goodness he didn't have a weapon or anything. You are awesome for screaming and holding on to it!

Eyeliah SS said...

Gosh! Gad you came out alright!

Quixsa said...

Thank goodness you are alright! So close to home too!? Sorry to hear that you had to go through this experience but glad to see how everything turned out.
The two older ladies giving you tea for the shock is so endearing:0)

Sara said...

I am so glad that you are OK! My goodness, that's frightening and bizarre.

Cathy Voyage said...

That's horrible!

Michelle said...

wow, you're awesome! good on you for holding on! I've always hoped I would be that brave (but not been overly confident in that idea). Nuts about the bag =(

Dotti said...

Grrrrrrrrr! Srew those bastards!

I hope you and your little sweetie are alright again? Kisses from Munich, Dotti

a cat of impossible colour said...

Thanks for the good wishes, everyone! I'm perfectly fine now, thank you. :) Definitely makes for a good story. :P

MissRedLips said...

so glad to hear that you are fine now! what a traumatic experience! you won the most exciting blog post for the month! i was having such a clear mental image of what happened while reading what you wrote...that's movie material!

Missa said...

What?!?! That is pure crazyness! So glad you're ok and way to go for hangin on to your bag and fighting him off tough girl :D

Bucca said...

I had an experiance wuite similar on my birthday a couple of months back! glad you are ok and gheld onto your bag!

a cat of impossible colour said...

Thanks, everyone!

C, literalmente rubia - yes, that's exactly right. :)

Michelle said...

Hey saw your story on the front page of the Star the other day! Good on you, anonymous woman who held on to her bag until the strap broke... hehe