Bike-jacking thugs blocked by stubborn 80-year-old grandmother
EYEVINE / EVENING STANDARD 'Supergran' Rosemary Bodger came to rescue of Stefan Cooper
Mrs Bodger held on to the handlebars of victim Stefan Cooper’s scooter as the attackers tried to wrestle the bike from him after they had snatched his ignition key. In footage captured by an eyewitness Mrs Bodger, who was carrying two shopping bags, refused to let go – forcing the two men on the black Vespa to abandon their attempted “bike-jacking”. The would-be robbers then roared away as a businessman in a suit ran to help while two builders brandishing copper pipes also tried to help. On Friday night, Mrs Bodger said: “I didn’t think twice. I don’t run away. I was in the Wrens and I thought: ‘No way are they having that’. They would have had to run over me to get it.”
EYEVINE / EVENING STANDARD Rosemary, 80, was shopping with her husband when the attempted theft happened
I was so incensed that it was happening but I work on impulse. I heard the boys on the moped had been stealing mobile phones so I just wanted them to be caught. Rosemary Bodger
The drama happened at 9.20am on Monday as grandmother-of-three Mrs Bodger was shopping with her husband Hugh, also 80. She had walked off alone to find a cobbler who could repair a pair of her shoes. Theatre worker Mr Cooper, 47, was cornered after the thugs followed him as he headed to the West End. Mrs Bodger said: “They pushed the Vespa towards the pavement. This chap jumped off the back and ran towards the man on the Vespa, so another old lady and I started shouting for people to call the police. “I was so incensed that it was happening but I work on impulse. I heard the boys on the moped had been stealing mobile phones so I just wanted them to be caught. “There were suddenly lots of young men charging towards them taking them on. They didn’t have a chance and scarpered like scared little boys.”