Caught on camera: Snatch thief attacks woman with metal pipe

SELANGOR, Malaysia - A video recently posted on Facebook group Malaysian Crime Awareness Campaign showed a snatch thief's violent assault on a woman who refused to give up her handbag.

In the video dated March 28, a woman was walking along the street when a man wearing a motorcycle helmet rushed at her to the side of a building. He attempted to snatch her handbag and started to attack her repeatedly with a metal pipe when she refused to let go of it.

According to the Facebook post, a cleaner witnessed the crime and shouted at the thief who hurriedly fled from the scene on his accomplice's motorcycle. They left without succeeding in the snatch theft.

Post contributor Dominic Gabriel's father drove by the crime scene shortly after and offered help when he saw that the woman was bleeding profusely.

The victim was later sent to the hospital for medical treatment and received seven stitches for her head injuries. She is now on medical leave for two weeks.

minlee@sph.com.sg