An attacker put an elderly lady in a headlock during a a terrifying robbery in Bolton.
The man held his hand over the 70-year-old's mouth as she tried to scream for help in Breightmet on Wednesday (December 3).
The woman was walking along a footpath at the end of Honiton Drive when she was approached at around 11.20am.
The man pretended to know her by asking if her name was ‘Mavis’.
He then grabbed her, put his arm around her neck and demanded she hand over her purse.
The petrified victim struggled as he rummaged through her pockets where he found her Samsung mobile phone.
He then released the woman who ran to a nearby house to get help.
Her daughter said the incident has left her so “shaken up” she now refuses to go out alone.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News , the 39-year-old said: “It happened the day after her birthday.
“She’s better than yesterday but it’s definitely frightened her. She’s really shaken up.
“She won’t go out on her own at the moment.
“My head’s all over the place. The whole family is shocked and really upset.
“I live literally two minutes away from my mum and now I’m feeling like I don’t even want to live here anymore. It’s just horrible.”
GMP officers are now appealing for anyone with any information to contact police urgently.
They have also released a description of the attacker.
A spokesman for the force said: “Officers are appealing for information after an elderly woman was robbed yesterday (3 December 2020). At around 11.20am, a male threatened the woman and demanded her purse.
“During the robbery the victim – a woman in her 70s – was grabbed and injured during the robbery.
“The offender fled on foot with her mobile phone.
“The offender is described as a white man, aged around 30 to 40 years old, of medium build and about six foot tall. He was wearing glasses with oblong shaped lenses, with dark frames. He was also wearing a dark coloured hat and face mask. He was clean shaven with brown coloured eye brows and was wearing a dark coloured anorak jacket which had some padding and was waist-length.”
Anyone who has any information about the robbery should call police on 0161 856 5757 quoting incident number 1052 of 03/12/2020.
Details can also be passed on anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
