Thug jailed after dragging 84-year-old granny to the ground in brutal handbag robbery
A cold-hearted crook stalked an elderly woman after she withdrew thousands from a bank – then violently yanked her to the pavement and snatched her handbag packed with cash. Moses Blackwood, 22, from Lambeth, was locked up for four years and eight months at Croydon Crown Court on Wednesday, 15 August, for robbery and assault.
Stalking Granny After £5,000 Withdrawal
On 14 February at 1.45pm, the mum and daughter duo – an 84-year-old pensioner and her 52-year-old daughter – withdrew £5,000 at a Streatham High Road bank. Blackwood lurked nearby, watching every move.
Not satisfied, he followed them on a bus, jumped off with them, and trailed them into a supermarket on Green Lane. When the pair neared a residential address in Thornton Heath, Blackwood pounced.
Violent Attack on the Doorstep
He viciously dragged the elderly woman to the floor and snatched her handbag containing £2,500. The daughter tried to intervene but was punched and kicked, slammed to the ground, before the thief sprinted off on foot.
Police Hunt and Court Drama
Detectives quickly tracked Blackwood using CCTV footage, piecing together his route before and after the robbery. Three months later, Blackwood called police claiming he’d been forced to commit the crime – a story dismissed by the judge as blatant lies.
He was arrested at Brixton Police Station and later pled guilty at Croydon Crown Court on 16 June.
PC Steve Keahey, Met CID Croydon, said: “This was a vicious attack on two women on their own doorstep which has had a significant impact on their lives. Blackwood tracked his victims over a long distance to carry out this horrible crime.”
“I hope this sentence brings comfort and justice to the victims. If you ever spot suspicious behaviour while carrying large sums of cash, trust your instincts and call the police immediately. Your call could stop this happening to someone else.”
