Veteran BBC newsreader Jan Leeming, 80, fights pickpocket in ‘sleepy’ French village after being ‘rugby tackled’ by masked man at ATM
- Ms Leeming, 80, says she was left ‘very shocked’ and with a ‘very deep scrape’
- Former BBC news anchor was ‘rugby tackled to the ground’ after man
- He then took off in a getaway car, but failed to steal items
- She described the incident as a “horrific experience” but says she is “absolutely okay”
Earlier BBC news anchor Jan Leeming was ‘sleepy’ fought over by a bag robber after being ‘rugby tackled’ before fleeing empty-handed in a getaway car.
Ms Leeming, 80, says she is ‘very shocked’ and suffered a ‘very deep abrasion’ to her arm after she was attacked while her friends were using the ATM in the ‘sleepy village’ in France.
The ex-news anchor was ‘rugby tackled to the ground’ after the man approached her and initially appeared ‘courteous’ and ‘held out his hand to her’.
take to Twitter after the incident, she said, “Horrible experience. Attacked near ATM that friends used.
‘Young man seemed pleasantly to extend his hand – like a first-class idiot who is courteous, I took it. Rugby tackled to the ground. The bag was hanging over my arm, he didn’t get it. I have a 6 inch cut on the back of the arm, black and blue.
Jan Leeming pictured at the Swarowski pre-party to the opening night of The Wizard of Oz at the Royal Festival Hall in July 2008
Mrs Leeming photographed during her days reading news at the BBC where she was once robbed by three intruders
She added: ‘It was horrific, but well orchestrated with a getaway car. My head was very close to an oncoming car.
“Think CCTV, but he was wearing a mask – the car turned left so friends couldn’t get a license plate.”
It comes 35 years after she was robbed at the BBC.
Ms Leeming said it “brought back memories of the robbery” at the company’s headquarters
In 1987, three intruders robbed her for her handbag and threw ammonia in her face before she ran screaming into the newsroom.
Responding to compassionate tweets today, she added: “He advised her to use the machine before him and would have snatched her money.
‘Then he asked if I spoke French and held out his hand. I thought it was a friendly gesture. Then he hit me to the ground
“Even if he got caught, I very much doubt he’d get a jail sentence—a slap on the knuckle and told him not to do it again. In many ways the law has softened.
‘What could one wear? Pepper spray. We cannot take every necessity into account, no matter how bad, otherwise we would close the shutters and never do anything.. One has to live.
“There were cameras at the cash machine, but he was wearing a mask and the getaway car turned the left almost immediately so friends didn’t get the license plate—probably faked anyway.
“Gendarmerie was closed and when friends called the number it rang. small chance of catching them.
‘Please do not worry. I’m absolutely fine – I’m not a little traumatized. Only painful with a few bruises and a huge bandage on my arm.
“Thank you very much for your warmth and good wishes.”