MT Edgecombe resident, Janna Strang, has hailed residents of Morningside her heroes after the community came to her assistance to catch a criminal who snatched her phone out of her hand. The 32-year-old was on her way to see a client on Steel Road when the mugger snatched her cell phone from her hand. The local resident said she initially chased the fleet-footed thief for two blocks before stopping.

“I was walking to my client’s office and was about 20 metres away when a guy shot past me and grabbed my cell phone out of my hands. I just started shouting that man has my phone and, I realise now it wasn’t so smart, but I chased after him. I kept screaming the whole time I ran after him, people came out of their homes and were shouting at the guy. One of the residents actually ran past me while I was running but I didn’t realise he was chasing the thief, I was so focused on getting my phone back. I eventually gave up after two blocks and I was just so defeated and I made my way back to my car.

“A homeless man came up to me and said ‘the man who stole your phone has been caught’. I was so relieved, I gave him a bear hug. When I got to the scene, there were people congratulating each other. The thief had been bound in cable ties and was sitting on the floor. One of the residents, Ajith Hariparsad, who ran past me in the chase had actually rugby tackled the thief to the ground,” she said.

Strang added even a lawyer, who was situated across the road from the arrest came to her assistance.

“I was just so humbled and got very teary that these complete strangers came to my aid. I want to say thank you to Ajith and everyone who helped me, I was blown away by all their help, they are my heroes. I have been singing their praises since it happened. It is so incredible that people are trying to overcome crime together,” she said.