The robber struck at dawn. Sean Dilley took a break. The blind BBC reporter from London was on duty all Tuesday night. Just before 6 a.m., a cyclist approached him. When the journalist arrived, it happened: “The man snatched my mobile phone from my hand,” he wrote on Twitter.
shock? No! Dilley responded quickly. The Briton, who lost his sight at the age of 14, relied on his excellent hearing. The BBC reporter caught the perpetrator, threw him to the ground, confiscated the mobile and contacted the police via the voice assistant.
“Wrong blind, wrong day,” he tweeted. There was no property damage, but physical pain resulted. He suffered some bruises and bruises.
“Leave it to the police”
While the reporter waited for the law enforcement officers, other people approached and offered to help. Dilley would have waved it off. He let the culprit go. The police will check the surveillance cameras anyway. “If they recognize him there, they can arrest him later.” The robber is currently at large.
Although he acted astutely, says Dilley, he also looks critically at his behavior in retrospect. “No object is worth risking your health for. What I did today wasn’t particularly smart. The iPhone is insured.” He added: “Instead of taking action yourself, it is better to leave the matter to the police.”
Nevertheless: Dilley’s courageous intervention evokes mostly positive reactions. He is praised on Twitter for his work. Colleagues also express their condolences. BBC producer Holly Clemens wrote, “Sean, I’m so sorry! I hope you’re well.” Reporter Emily Unia summed it up: “It’s terrible.” (abbot)