According to Daily Mail - Home, Angela Rippon described being mugged on two occasions in London, both involving two men. During one incident, she was kicked in the head, and during the second, one thief had his hands around her throat while threatening to break her fingers if she didn't surrender her rings. These attacks occurred within a year of each other, though the exact dates and locations beyond the general timeframe and area have not been specified.
In the first mugging, Rippon attempted to defend herself by curling up in the fetal position on the ground to prevent her handbag from being stolen. According to Daily Mail - Home, she described thinking she might be safe there because it was so public, on a public pavement, that people would stop and help her. However, when one of the assailants kicked her head, she decided to let them take the handbag, later explaining that having concussion was not worth it.
I've been mugged on two occasions in London and on both of them, it was me and there were two men.
After they took it, she got up and chased the thieves in the hope that somebody might stick a foot out and stop them from running away, though she noted they were like a pair of young gazelles while she was in heels, making it no contest. One of the most painful losses from the muggings was a sentimental ring given to her by an aunt on her 21st birthday, which had very little monetary value. According to Daily Mail - Home, Rippon described anguishing more over that than over the loss of her watch or diamond earrings, which she also had at the time.
She shared these mugging experiences publicly on Vanessa Feltz's Channel 5 show, discussing the emotional impact and the realization that possessions are not worth risking further harm. She emphasized that in such attacks, you have to say they are possessions and just let them take what they want, especially when facing larger assailants where fighting back could lead to serious injury. During one of the muggings, Rippon observed people getting their phones out to film the incident rather than offering assistance.
Now, I mean I did fight back, I didn't have an opportunity to the first time at all. I ended up on the ground, and sort of curled up in the foetal position, and I thought that I might be safe there, and that was because it was so public, on a public pavement, that people would stop and help me.
It remains unknown whether any witnesses intervened or assisted during the attacks. Additionally, it is unclear whether the thieves were ever caught or identified, whether Rippon reported the muggings to the police and what the police response was, or the current status of any investigations or legal proceedings related to the incidents. According to Daily Mail - Home, Rippon described the experience as scary and painful, noting that when attackers are bigger than you, they are going to wallop you, and it's not pleasant.
They wanted my handbag, and because I was curled, and at the point when one of them kicked my head and I suddenly thought 'actually, having concussion is not worth it,' and I just did that and let them take my handbag.
But I then got up and chased them in the hope that somebody might stick a foot out and stop them from running away.
But they were like a pair of young gazelles and I was in heels and you know there was no contest really.
But I think that, and then the second time that I was mugged again, there were two men and one of them had his hands around my throat and was threatening to break my fingers if I didn't let them take my rings.
I mean there is a point where you have to say, they're possessions, what is the point?
I mean, the one thing I lost was a sentimental ring that had been given to me by an aunt on my 21st birthday, it had very little value at all if any.
And I really, I angst more over that than I did over the loss of my watch or my diamond earrings which I had at the time, but there is a point I think, when you are on the receiving end of that kind of attack, that you have to say, actually, they are possessions, just take what you want.
Because you never know whether or not someone actually has a knife, and when they are bigger and when they're bigger than you, I'm sorry, they are going to wallop you, and it's not pleasant. It's scary and it hurts, it's very scary.
They were much bigger than me and you don't fight back. I said, 'Let me help you, please'