A Belfast woman has spoken of the terrifying moment she was the victim of an early morning robbery while walking to work.
It happened as the woman, who is aged 47 and works as a cleaner, was making her way to work just after 6am on Tuesday, March 7th.
She had been walking along Belfast city centre’s Adelaide Street when she was approached by three males, one of whom grabbed her handbag before they made off from the area in the direction of Franklin Street.
Read more: Woman 'threatened with knife' during armed robbery in Belfast
The woman chose to speak out following a similar incident in the same area this weekend.
On Saturday, the PSNI said a man 'threatened to stab' a woman during an armed robbery in the Adelaide Street area in the early hours of the morning.
A man in his 20s is reported to have approached two women at around 3.50am armed with a knife before grabbing a handbag and running away.
The other woman gave chase, and the suspect eventually stopped but threatened to stab her. He then made off from the scene. The handbag was later discovered set alight in the Cromac Street area.
"I work just across the road from where those two girls were approached and couldn't believe it as the same thing happened to me in that exact area just over a week earlier," the woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, told Belfast Live.
"I hadn't heard about it until my son contacted me on Saturday to tell me so I felt it was important to speak out. I had just got off the Glider after 6 o'clock that morning and was making my way to work on the very same street when I was approached by three men.
"They were walking up the other side of the street and had walked on past me. I had one earphone in which I always do and was carrying a plastic bag with my handbag strapped across my chest.
"The next thing was I felt the back of my hair being tugged to try and get my handbag. One of them had gripped the bag to try and get it over my head but because I was wearing a hair clip it got stuck. He was shouting at me to give him the bag.
"He was able to get it off and then another one grabbed the plastic bag before they all took off on foot. I don't normally carry money with me and just use the app on my phone to pay for things.
"Luckily my phone and work keys were in my pocket so they didn't get much in the bag except some e-cigarettes and make-up."
She added: "I've never experienced anything like it in my life and I walk that same route at that time every morning. It was so frightening and it really shook me up but it just goes to show that this kind of thing can happen to anyone at any time of the day.
"I was offered some time off work after it happened but to be honest I can't afford to take an extended break. I love my job and the people I work with and despite what happened I won't let it deter me.
"I went back to work last Monday for the first time since it happened and I made myself do it to try and get back to a normal routine again. I won't let those responsible for this run me out of my job.
"I would just urge people to be on their guard especially in this area because this is the second time this has happened to women in a few weeks.
"It's mostly offices in that area so there are a lot of women like me who are cleaners around at that hour of the morning. I'd hate for this to happen again to someone else."
A PSNI spokesperson said: "Police are investigating the report of a robbery in south Belfast on Tuesday, March 7th.
"It was reported at around 6.20 am that a short time earlier a woman had been walking along Adelaide Street when she was approached by three males, one grabbed her handbag before they made off from the area in the direction of Franklin Street.
“Enquiries are continuing, and we are appealing to anyone who was in the area at the time, and who may have seen anything, to get in touch. The number to call is 101, quoting reference number 154 of 07/03/23.”
Alternatively, you can submit a report online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/. You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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