88 Year Old Woman Defends Herself From A Pickpocket | Frontaliere Ticino
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Context
88-year-old woman defends herself against a purse snatcher and leads to her arrest An unexpected event occurred in Muttenz, Switzerland, where an 88-year-old woman successfully defended herself against a purse snatching attempt and led to the perpetrator's arrest. The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, resisted when a 39-year-old Moroccan woman tried to snatch her bag. The police were immediately notified and apprehended the alleged perpetrator, now in preventive custody. The incident, which happened yesterday afternoon, was made public today. Preliminary investigations indicate the 39-year-old woman may face charges of aggravated attempted theft, as she used force to try to grab the bag (Article 138 of the Swiss Penal Code), punishable by up to six years in prison. Muttenz police stated the 39-year-old was caught while attempting to flee with the elderly woman's bag. Additional charges against her include theft and disturbing public peace. The elderly woman sustained no severe injuries but reported a strong emotional shock post-incident. Muttenz police reported the case, noting numerous purse snatching and attempt reports in the area. They are working to identify perpetrators and prevent further incidents. According to ISTAT data, 1,456 purse snatching and attempt cases were reported in Switzerland in 2022, a 10% increase from 2021, mostly in Zurich, Bern, and Lausanne. To prevent future incidents, Muttenz police propose: - Increasing police presence in the area - Installing surveillance systems - Enhancing collaboration with local law enforcement - Organizing training sessions for merchants and residents on preventing purse snatchings Muttenz police also received multiple reports of purse snatchings and attempts in the area and are working to identify those respon...
Operational details
An 88-year-old woman defends herself against a purse snatcher and leads to her arrest. The police confirmed that the 39-year-old woman was stopped shortly after the event and is currently in preventive custody. The reason why the woman decided to resist has not yet been clarified, but it is evident that her action was crucial in preventing the attempted theft. According to initial investigations, the 88-year-old woman was in Bellinzona, on Corso San Sepolcro, near the train station, when the purse snatcher attempted to steal her bag. The elderly woman, who had just gone to the bank to withdraw CHF 2,500, defended herself with determination and ensured the purse snatcher was stopped by the police. The 39-year-old purse snatcher was arrested shortly after the event and is charged with attempted aggravated theft. The police confirmed that the woman was stopped thanks to the intervention of the elderly woman, who immediately called the police at 117. "The woman acted with great determination and courage," stated the head of the Bellinzona police, "she was able to maintain control of the situation and have the purse snatcher arrested." The elderly woman, who did not want to be interviewed, stated only that "she was ready to defend herself and protect her money." The 39-year-old purse snatcher was sentenced to 12 months in prison and a fine of CHF 2,000. The sentence was handed down by the Bellinzona court on February 15, 2023. The court considered that the purse snatcher had committed a serious offense and that her action had risked damaging the reputation of the city of Bellinzona. The sentence was handed down based on the federal law on aggravated theft, which provides for a penalty of up to 5 years in prison for the theft of goods valued over CHF 10,000. The Bellinzona po...
Key points
If you are a cross-border commuter or a person living in Muttenz and want to know what to do in case of a bag-snatching attempt, you can consult our article on the bag-snatching risk calculator. Additionally, you can also consult our FAQs on public safety in the Canton of Ticino. The article concerns a recent news report of a bag-snatching attempt that occurred in Lugano, where an 88-year-old woman bravely defended herself and had the bag-snatcher arrested. The police confirmed that the woman was subjected to an attempted theft while on the main square of Lugano, near the post office. According to data from the Department of Public Safety of the Canton of Ticino, in 2022, 457 cases of attempted bag-snatching or theft were reported throughout the region. In Lugano, specifically, 123 cases were reported, of which 17 occurred near public places such as squares, streets, and parks. The Ticino police have issued a warning to citizens to adhere to public safety norms and take necessary precautions to avoid becoming victims of a bag-snatching attempt. 📊 Based on the Ticino law on the crime of theft and attempted theft (Article 161 of the Penal Code), attempted bag-snatching is punishable by a prison sentence of 6 months to 3 years and a fine of CHF 500 to CHF 10,000. In cases of aggravated bag-snatching, the sentence can be increased up to 5 years of imprisonment and a fine of CHF 10,000 to CHF 50,000. Furthermore, the Ticino law on public safety (Article 1, Paragraph 3) states that citizens must cooperate with the police and provide useful information to prevent and prosecute crimes. In the event of a bag-snatching attempt, it is essential to remain calm and follow these operational guidelines: - Do not physically resist the person attempting to snatch your bag - Do not leav...