In Aalst on Wednesday, a 33-year-old man helped an elderly lady with a walking frame to get on the pavement and then promptly shoved her to the ground and grabbed her bag, announced the Dendermonde section East Flanders prosecutor’s office on Thursday. The incident occurred in Aalst at around 3:25 pm on Wednesday afternoon.
“The perpetrator, a 33-year-old man from Ghent initially helped the lady, 86, to get to the pavement but then pushed her over,” said the prosecutor. “When she hit the ground, the man grabbed her bag. The woman begged him not to steal her bag and the man instead demanded she give him money. After she handed over several notes, the man helped her up again.”
A council worker who witnessed the scene rushed over to the elderly woman’s rescue and was able to catch the man after chasing him a short distance, and keep hold of him until the police arrived. The perpetrator will appear before Termonde investigating judge on Thursday. The prosecutor has called for the man’s arrest.
(Source: Belga)
