Audacious muggers fail in station attack

1:34pm Friday 19th October 2001

Police are surprised at the audacity of two muggers who struck during peak evening rush hour outside East Croydon Station.

The men tried and failed to steal a mobile phone from a young woman at about 6pm on Wednesday October 17 while surrounded by tens of possible witnesses gathered outside the station and tram stop on George Street.

The 28-year-old victim kept a tight hold on the phone, but was thrown to the floor and left with cuts and bruises on her head and elbow.

A police spokesman said: "According to one witness several onlookers tried to intervene and one of the assailants was reported to have hit out at them.

"This is an audacious attack - these men obviously did not expect to be stopped despite the fact the area is heavily covered by CCTV."

The men were described as black, around 6ft tall and about 20. The victim was said to have been in shock after the attack but declined medical treatment.

Contact DS Demetriou at South Norwood Robbery Squad on 020 8649 1217.

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