Well done (for assisting a lady after she had her phone snatched

[Rolo Tomasi]

To the members of the public who assisted the young lady after she had her phone snatched at Goose Green yesterday evening (7pm).

The guy ran past her, taking the phone out of her hand and made off at speed up East Dulwich road towards Peckham Rye. She SCREAMED at such a level that passers-by gave chase, cars tried to block him off.

Next thing you know he was cornered. Ran back in her direction and gave back the phone. Made off down towards Grove Vale but not before a motorist mounted the pavement by the zebra crossing and nearly collared him. He made off up Tintagel Crescent. Great to see.

[Otta]

Sounds like someone could have been squashed by a car!

Good that people helped though.

[Rolo Tomasi]

Otta he was blocking him off not trying to run him over. Clear?

[firekat2]

Good to hear that the thief did not get away with it and how refreshing that the public gave chase.

[Otta]

It was the motorist mounting the pavement which worried me. Don't get me wrong, I think it's great everyone got involved, but cars mounting pavements to stop people is a worry.

[Rolo Tomasi]

ok.

[tiddles]

brilliant!

[Salsaboy]

Should have run the b4stard down.

[maritap]

Piece of s**t

[KidKruger]

Run 'em over, just deserts.

[Mrs TP]

Assuming all the good guys n' gals ok, then to the would be robber hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha and a few more hahahahahahahahahahahaha!

[Sophron]

Fantastic - shame he got away. But I'll defo join in with the HAHAHAHAHAHAH!

[NewWave]

I wish he'd been run over...sorry but...

just deserts

[StraferJack]

So now we approve of mowing down petty thieves.

Slow handclap

We could always cut off their hands when we catch them too, right?

[LadyDeliah]

Death sentence for petty theft. Great idea! That worked so well in the 1800's.

[Jessie]

Wow. This forum scares me. Personally I would have called the police, not bayed for his blood.

[StraferJack]

Exactly Jessie

Many parents on here will have kids who for a short period might end up doing "no good"

I'm pretty sure they would like a knock on the door from a policeman with their offspring intact and a word to be had, not actually maimed or killed

[Alan Medic]

If the police had been called it unlikely the phone would have been returned to its owner as their response time is not going to be that quick. No one actually said this was a 'kid' or that there was any attempt to maim or kill whoever it was.

[Jessie]

I was commenting on the posters on the thread as opposed to the original incident. Sounds like there was still a chase once the phone was returned. And kid or not, desire for physical revenge is not attractive (to me).

[StraferJack]

Alan - several people have posted they wish he had been run over. That is who I'm addressing

Noone has said it was a kid, that's true, but are you suggesting it makes a difference to the support or otherwise - "yeah if it's a young 'un, don't run him over, but if he is say, 25, then go for it"

Like the OP and Otta, I'm glad people stepped in to help and try and apprehend him - but subsequent posts crossed a line

[KidKruger]

Oh, come on.

I think people are just displaying distaste for thieves rather than actually wishing death / maiming on them and you very well know that.

[StraferJack]

do I KK?

How do I know that? I read the following:

"I wish he'd been run over...sorry but...

just deserts"

and that's merely distaste for thieves and not actually wishing harm?

What would actually wishing harm read like?

[Sophron]

Like this Strafer Jack "If I had caught him I would have done him physical harm and I wish that somebody else who did catch him would have done the same" Hows that? Yes, if he's gonna rob, mug, threaten then he deserves a slap OK?

[StraferJack]

which is different from being "run over" I'm sure you'll agree?

[Jeremy]

Calling the police would have achieved precisely nothing. The guy would have been long gone.

I take the "should have ran him over" comments with a pinch of salt, but if they were meant literally then that's obviously pretty stupid.