Frontline coronavirus nurse demands bag back after being mugged on her way home

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A coronavirus frontline nurse was mugged on her way back home from work
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Emily Lawford16 April 2020
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A frontline coronavirus nurse has told how she was mugged by a thief who snatched her handbag and threatened to stab her when she demanded he return it.

Gillian Bishop, 62, said she was cycling home from her first day back at a doctor’s practice, after self-isolating with Covid-19 symptoms, when a hooded man stole her handbag.

Ms Bishop followed the man and asked him to return her bag when he turned around and reportedly told her “come closer and I’ll stab you”.

The mother-of-three backed down because the usually busy street was empty amid the coronavirus lockdown.

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After the shock of the mugging she said she had a sleepless night and was unable to work the next day.

Ms Bishop told TeessideLive she left her shift at Queens Park Medical Centre in Stockton at 5pm on Tuesday when the thief rammed her bike from behind and snatched her bag from the basket.

The bag contained many of her vital possessions, including work cupboard keys which give her access to lifesaving medicine.

She said: "I was riding home from work and a bike came behind mine and a bloke in a hoodie put his bike into mine and grabbed my handbag out of the basket on the front.

"I had everything in my bag - my purse and phone, my NHS keyworker letter for going back and forward to work and my works keys which have access to drug cupboards."

When Ms Bishop pursued the thief, she spotted what might have been she a knife.

"He had his hand in his jacket pocket and I saw a flash of orange - but didn't actually see a blade - and he said that he would knife me if went any closer," she said.

Although Ms Bishop didn't suffer any physical injuries, she said she still felt the effects of the ordeal the following day.

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Ms Bishop reported the matter to Cleveland Police.

A spokeswoman for the force said: "Police received a report of a woman’s backpack being stolen from the basket on her pedal cycle as she rode past a man on the path between Dovecot Street and Light Pipe Hall Road in Stockton at around 5.10pm on Tuesday, April 14.

"The woman challenged the male but was threatened.

"The bag contained the woman’s purse, cash and bank cards.

"Any witnesses or anyone who may have information regarding the incident is asked to contact Cleveland Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.”

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