She has a handbag and is not afraid to use it.
February 8, 2011 1:51 PM Subscribe
Why is the camera there?
posted by empath at 1:55 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by empath at 1:55 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
I saw that earlier and what boggled me was how they were just doing it in broad daylight on a well trafficked street. I mean, that's balls or idiocy. Mostly the latter, since it seems most of them got caught.
posted by kmz at 2:00 PM on February 8, 2011
posted by kmz at 2:00 PM on February 8, 2011
Opening narration: "When a passerby caught this footage of a robbery unfolding ...".
Hypothesis: being born well before the advent of video makes it much more likely that you'll do something instead of standing by and recording. (Sure, video can be useful evidence, but you have to be close enough to get faces and license plates, and better yet to stop it the robbery anyway.)
posted by maudlin at 2:00 PM on February 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
Hypothesis: being born well before the advent of video makes it much more likely that you'll do something instead of standing by and recording. (Sure, video can be useful evidence, but you have to be close enough to get faces and license plates, and better yet to stop it the robbery anyway.)
posted by maudlin at 2:00 PM on February 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
Why do I feel like a piano is going to accidentally crush this woman's dog before this case gets to trial?
posted by any major dude at 2:00 PM on February 8, 2011 [7 favorites]
posted by any major dude at 2:00 PM on February 8, 2011 [7 favorites]
I saw that earlier and what boggled me was how they were just doing it in broad daylight on a well trafficked street. I mean, that's balls or idiocy. Mostly the latter, since it seems most of them got caught.
I'm thinking the old lady very lucky the guys had no intent to harm anyone. Sledgehammer surely beats handbag in a bashing contest. Balls or idiocy? She's got king-sized cajones!
posted by LordSludge at 2:07 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'm thinking the old lady very lucky the guys had no intent to harm anyone. Sledgehammer surely beats handbag in a bashing contest. Balls or idiocy? She's got king-sized cajones!
posted by LordSludge at 2:07 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
Nobody's said it yet? I guess I get to be first: this is obviously fake.
posted by UrineSoakedRube at 2:07 PM on February 8, 2011 [5 favorites]
posted by UrineSoakedRube at 2:07 PM on February 8, 2011 [5 favorites]
it was cool when she stabbed that dude with a lightsaber and the rest of em took off like mad
posted by facetious at 2:09 PM on February 8, 2011
posted by facetious at 2:09 PM on February 8, 2011
Oh wait ... I just listened to the audio. Okay, it's not fake. But she didn't stop the robbery, the security shutters did.
posted by UrineSoakedRube at 2:09 PM on February 8, 2011
posted by UrineSoakedRube at 2:09 PM on February 8, 2011
Nobody's said it yet? I guess I get to be first: this is obviously fake.
That's what I was trying to get at.
posted by empath at 2:10 PM on February 8, 2011
That's what I was trying to get at.
posted by empath at 2:10 PM on February 8, 2011
How is it obviously fake? The people freaking out inside the shop seem pretty real to me.
posted by CrazyLemonade at 2:10 PM on February 8, 2011
posted by CrazyLemonade at 2:10 PM on February 8, 2011
Looks fake to me too. Anyway, an old woman can do that. If a dude tried he would get his ass kicked, old women have power, ya know?
The metal security cover thingy was already coming down, there was no way they were gonna get in. The guy who falls off seems to do it on his own. She didn't really do anything, cool visualization of courage though.
posted by furiousxgeorge at 2:11 PM on February 8, 2011
The metal security cover thingy was already coming down, there was no way they were gonna get in. The guy who falls off seems to do it on his own. She didn't really do anything, cool visualization of courage though.
posted by furiousxgeorge at 2:11 PM on February 8, 2011
Nobody's said it because there's no evidence of it. But if you have some reason to think it's fake, I'd be curious to hear.
ABC news has more on the story.
Telegraph has an interview with the manager and an interview with the Supergranny too.
If it's fake, it's an awfully elaborate hoax.
posted by Astro Zombie at 2:12 PM on February 8, 2011 [6 favorites]
ABC news has more on the story.
Telegraph has an interview with the manager and an interview with the Supergranny too.
If it's fake, it's an awfully elaborate hoax.
posted by Astro Zombie at 2:12 PM on February 8, 2011 [6 favorites]
Wow, looks to be for real. Even more awesome.
posted by furiousxgeorge at 2:15 PM on February 8, 2011
posted by furiousxgeorge at 2:15 PM on February 8, 2011
These guys were armed with a moped.
Virgil Starkwell award winners!
posted by clavdivs at 2:20 PM on February 8, 2011
Virgil Starkwell award winners!
posted by clavdivs at 2:20 PM on February 8, 2011
Brings back memories of my grandmother. In her 80s she foiled someone trying to snatch someone else's purse on a New York City bus by whacking them with her cane.
posted by leslies at 2:21 PM on February 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by leslies at 2:21 PM on February 8, 2011 [2 favorites]
Here's the thing about emergencies. Some people are wired in such a way that when presented with a crisis, they don't think or analyze, they just react. This woman is wired that way, what she did was quite foolish, but instinctual. I know this, because I am one them. When bystanders ask you later "what the hell were you thinking" the response is "I didn't think at all, I just reacted. "
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 2:22 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 2:22 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
I saw jeggings.
posted by notion at 2:24 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by notion at 2:24 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
PareidoliaticBoy: "Some people are wired in such a way that when presented with a crisis, they don't think or analyze, they just react. ... When bystanders ask you later "what the hell were you thinking" the response is "I didn't think at all, I just reacted. ""
Yeah, a recent Radiolab show on altruism got similar reactions from a number of people who jumped in to save somebody else. Almost without exception, they said something like, "I didn't think, I just did it."
posted by maudlin at 2:27 PM on February 8, 2011
Yeah, a recent Radiolab show on altruism got similar reactions from a number of people who jumped in to save somebody else. Almost without exception, they said something like, "I didn't think, I just did it."
posted by maudlin at 2:27 PM on February 8, 2011
From the Telegraph article:
"..too many people just stood around watching as if they were in shock and nobody was doing anything."
Yes, but... I'm a bystander by inclination, for various complicated reasons, but I am occasionally compelled to step in when no other bugger will because, too often, no-one does anything. But you choose your moment. There is no way I intervene here because they're stealing shitty jewellery and are almost certainly going to fuck me up.
posted by tigrefacile at 2:28 PM on February 8, 2011 [4 favorites]
"..too many people just stood around watching as if they were in shock and nobody was doing anything."
Yes, but... I'm a bystander by inclination, for various complicated reasons, but I am occasionally compelled to step in when no other bugger will because, too often, no-one does anything. But you choose your moment. There is no way I intervene here because they're stealing shitty jewellery and are almost certainly going to fuck me up.
posted by tigrefacile at 2:28 PM on February 8, 2011 [4 favorites]
The streets will not be safe until everyone is carrying a handgun handbag.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 2:44 PM on February 8, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by kuujjuarapik at 2:44 PM on February 8, 2011 [3 favorites]
Some day I'll tell you guys about chasing the naked guy for 1/2 mile along a rocky beach, tackling him, and then dragging his sorry naked screechin' azz all the way back along the beach, through the forest, and up the path to the RCMP detachment at the top of Wreck Beach. THAT was quite the show, I must say.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 2:46 PM on February 8, 2011
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 2:46 PM on February 8, 2011
Some day I'll tell you guys about chasing the naked guy for 1/2 mile along a rocky beach, tackling him, and then dragging his sorry naked screechin' azz all the way back along the beach, through the forest, and up the path to the RCMP detachment at the top of Wreck Beach. THAT was quite the show, I must say.
I'm pretty sure there are easier ways to cruise for sex in Vancouver.
posted by GuyZero at 2:49 PM on February 8, 2011 [15 favorites]
I'm pretty sure there are easier ways to cruise for sex in Vancouver.
posted by GuyZero at 2:49 PM on February 8, 2011 [15 favorites]
I am reminded of the little old lady from Madagascar and now want a remix of this video with "I Like to Move It" as the soundtrack. Internets, get to work!
posted by elizardbits at 2:56 PM on February 8, 2011
posted by elizardbits at 2:56 PM on February 8, 2011
Can someday be today?
(Vancouverite, regular Wreck Beach goer..)
posted by mannequito at 3:01 PM on February 8, 2011
(Vancouverite, regular Wreck Beach goer..)
posted by mannequito at 3:01 PM on February 8, 2011
My grandma used to keep two rolls of quarters in her purse in case she ever needed to use it on somebody's head. Gave it a decent weight when swung, but wasn't too much for her to tote around. I can absolutely see her doing this.
posted by cmyk at 3:06 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by cmyk at 3:06 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
Well it's Northampton, the home of Alan Moore and this sort of thing happens all the time in British comics....
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:11 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:11 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
One of our elderly regular customers always carries around a largish handbag with a brick inside "just in case". She's well into her 80s but I can totally see her rushing in just like this.
posted by xedrik at 3:14 PM on February 8, 2011
posted by xedrik at 3:14 PM on February 8, 2011
This is something my dear deceased grandmother would have happily done. She was convinced that younger generations were morally corrupt and obviously Not Brought Up Properly. She would have GLORIED in the opportunity to whack some whippersnappers about the head with her handbag, Babushka, pearls and all.
posted by msali at 3:16 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by msali at 3:16 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
The metal security cover thingy was already coming down, there was no way they were gonna get in.
They weren't trying to get in. They were trying - and succeeding - to smash the windows and grab all they could before the steel shutters came down.
posted by mediareport at 3:22 PM on February 8, 2011
They weren't trying to get in. They were trying - and succeeding - to smash the windows and grab all they could before the steel shutters came down.
posted by mediareport at 3:22 PM on February 8, 2011
She's just lucky it was a band of no-goodnik youths and not a vicious gang of KEEP LEFT signs.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 3:23 PM on February 8, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 3:23 PM on February 8, 2011 [4 favorites]
But she didn't stop the robbery, the security shutters did.
I think 4 people trying to pile onto a scooter is what stopped the robbery.
posted by Pruitt-Igoe at 3:35 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
I think 4 people trying to pile onto a scooter is what stopped the robbery.
posted by Pruitt-Igoe at 3:35 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
The old lady with a handbag just confirmed what the mopeds already told us about the cajones of the gang.
posted by Muddler at 3:49 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Muddler at 3:49 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
Hypothesis: being born well before the advent of video makes it much more likely that you'll do something instead of standing by and recording. (Sure, video can be useful evidence, but you have to be close enough to get faces and license plates, and better yet to stop it the robbery anyway.)
Or how about not wanting to get involved because these guys have objects that they're swinging hard enough to break glass. Who knows what they would do when confronted. I'm not going to risk my life over some stupid jewelry.
On a different note, those are scooters, not mopeds.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 3:54 PM on February 8, 2011
Or how about not wanting to get involved because these guys have objects that they're swinging hard enough to break glass. Who knows what they would do when confronted. I'm not going to risk my life over some stupid jewelry.
On a different note, those are scooters, not mopeds.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 3:54 PM on February 8, 2011
Looked pretty real to me. They took off because they were taking far, far too long to get in. Once the security doors start dropping they have no choice but to flee, and the police were evidently not far behind. Why would you waste time dealing with some old pensioner? Plus… you don't want to get nicked and have to explain why you felt it necessary to kick 'ol grandma's helpless defenseless handbag-swinging ass. You think any explanation is going to satisfy your fellow inmates?
No, didn't think so.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 4:04 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
No, didn't think so.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 4:04 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
Metafilter: Dragging naked men to the Mounties.
The Vespa gang and their daring daylight heist
posted by clavdivs at 4:22 PM on February 8, 2011
The Vespa gang and their daring daylight heist
posted by clavdivs at 4:22 PM on February 8, 2011
If YouTube was smart they'd be contacting Warner Bros. or whoever to use this video to place ads for the new Big Momma's House movie coming out soon.
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 4:28 PM on February 8, 2011
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 4:28 PM on February 8, 2011
Why do I keep picturing John Cleese in drag screaming in a high pitched voice?
posted by Splunge at 4:38 PM on February 8, 2011 [8 favorites]
posted by Splunge at 4:38 PM on February 8, 2011 [8 favorites]
What an idiot. I hate these kind of "victory" videos. Most of the time, fighting back gets you seriously hurt or killed. A robbery is for property - who cares? Better inanimate objects than your life.
posted by agregoli at 4:55 PM on February 8, 2011
posted by agregoli at 4:55 PM on February 8, 2011
I'm pretty sure it's not fake, the network it comes from is real ITV (ITN does their news). The guy doing the voice over has been working for them for years: he must have been because I recognise his voice and I rarely watch the TV.
I will say that Northampton looks much more upmarket than the last time I saw it though... a Rolex shop in Northampton ?? (watching it with the sound down first I'd assumed it was Regents St or Piccadilly in London)
posted by selton at 5:07 PM on February 8, 2011
I will say that Northampton looks much more upmarket than the last time I saw it though... a Rolex shop in Northampton ?? (watching it with the sound down first I'd assumed it was Regents St or Piccadilly in London)
posted by selton at 5:07 PM on February 8, 2011
This Guardian article says she thought they were beating somebody up and didn't realize it was a robbery. Until after she started swinging the handbag.
posted by interplanetjanet at 5:18 PM on February 8, 2011
posted by interplanetjanet at 5:18 PM on February 8, 2011
Enrique's got a head cold again
It's not his fault
He's a brave and valiant leader
He couldn't even get bus passes this time
Just scooters. Very fast scooters.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 5:25 PM on February 8, 2011
It's not his fault
He's a brave and valiant leader
He couldn't even get bus passes this time
Just scooters. Very fast scooters.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 5:25 PM on February 8, 2011
Yeah, fine, but no one's answered the important question: is she single?
posted by digitalprimate at 5:49 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by digitalprimate at 5:49 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
Splunge: Why do I keep picturing John Cleese in drag screaming in a high pitched voice?
Haha, yeah, exactly what I was thinking.
Someone needs to do a mash up with some Monty Python or at least with some Yakketysax!
posted by Hairy Lobster at 6:03 PM on February 8, 2011
Haha, yeah, exactly what I was thinking.
Someone needs to do a mash up with some Monty Python or at least with some Yakketysax!
posted by Hairy Lobster at 6:03 PM on February 8, 2011
Because everyone and their brother has a cellphone with video capabilities on it innit? FTFY.
posted by Scoo at 6:11 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Scoo at 6:11 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
This grandma's handbag taught someone a lesson.
posted by lahersedor at 6:15 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by lahersedor at 6:15 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
I hope the shop has the decency to present her with a necklace or something.
posted by The Hamms Bear at 6:28 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by The Hamms Bear at 6:28 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
The jerk with the camera didn't think the help the old lady until they saw other people running in. What an asshat.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 7:10 PM on February 8, 2011
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 7:10 PM on February 8, 2011
She didn't need help. She brought attention to a robbery in progress. It wasn't like she had Thor's hammer in her bag. The thieves decided that the attention wasn't worth it and ran. Does anyone think that her purse was injuring the guys?
It was the attention that they were getting. They decided to rob another day.
This isn't super granny. It's "Oh fuck this we'd better run before we get anymore eyes on us."
Not that they were that bright doing a smash and grab in broad daylight. It now reminds me of a "Young Ones" episode as well.
Vyvyan: I know what to do! We're broke. Let's break a store window and steal some shinies!
Mike: Okay, Vyv, you break it. Rick, you're the lookout. Make sure nobody, and I mean nobody see's what we're doing.
Neil: Whut about me?
Vyvyan: You look out for old ladies you hippie wanker!
Neil: Riiight. I can do that.
posted by Splunge at 11:37 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
It was the attention that they were getting. They decided to rob another day.
This isn't super granny. It's "Oh fuck this we'd better run before we get anymore eyes on us."
Not that they were that bright doing a smash and grab in broad daylight. It now reminds me of a "Young Ones" episode as well.
Vyvyan: I know what to do! We're broke. Let's break a store window and steal some shinies!
Mike: Okay, Vyv, you break it. Rick, you're the lookout. Make sure nobody, and I mean nobody see's what we're doing.
Neil: Whut about me?
Vyvyan: You look out for old ladies you hippie wanker!
Neil: Riiight. I can do that.
posted by Splunge at 11:37 PM on February 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
Seeing someone made a handbag/handgun joke already, compare and contrast this to how a similar crime would have gone down in the USA. I'd expect less mopeds and more guns and probably no old ladies with handbags.
posted by schwa at 11:40 PM on February 8, 2011
posted by schwa at 11:40 PM on February 8, 2011
But maybe an old lady with a gun!
posted by furiousxgeorge at 11:53 PM on February 8, 2011
posted by furiousxgeorge at 11:53 PM on February 8, 2011
hal_c_on: Actually, scooters make an excellent getaway vehicle for such a situation. They get through places cars can not, they are less susceptible to traffic jams, and far easier to ditch. Helmets are expected, and effectively hide a perp's face. On the whole, I think their robbery plan was an excellent one, perhaps the only significant flaw was too many participants.
posted by Goofyy at 3:07 AM on February 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Goofyy at 3:07 AM on February 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
this is exactly why for o maybe five years I have not sorted the pounds of change from my handbag
posted by angrycat at 4:54 AM on February 9, 2011
posted by angrycat at 4:54 AM on February 9, 2011
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posted by eugenen at 1:54 PM on February 8, 2011 [7 favorites]