Mother attacked for Rolex as her children run screaming for help

A mother was robbed of her Rolex by two thugs who attacked her in broad daylight as she walked home from the park with her children and their dog.

Julie Simpson, 42, was on the way back from Clapham Common with three young children when two men jumped her from behind around 5pm on Tuesday, July 10.

One of the masked youths wrestled Mrs Simpson’s £10,000 watch off of her arm while the other forcibly restrained her in Abbeville Road.

Her two children, aged six and ten, and an 11-year-old friend ran off screaming for help before hiding.

Mrs Simpson’s sausage dog Bentley was left dangling from his lead on her left arm during the ordeal.

She told the Standard: “I screamed when they jumped on me but I stopped as I was scared. One of them grabbed me then the other one felt like he was trying to pull my arm off. I realised they were after my watch but they were struggling to get it off.

“I said I would help him as he was really pulling at my arm but they screamed at me to leave it alone.

“They were getting agitated as they didn’t get it off as quickly as they wanted. I turned my face away as I thought they would punch me in the face. My kids were all screaming. My dog was dangling from the lead – he was traumatised.

“They had clearly done this before. Eventually they got it off. One of them said ‘sorry about that yeah’. I turned around and saw two six-foot guys pull up their hoods and run off.”

Shortly after the attack at just after 5pm last Tuesday people pulled over in their cars and came out of their houses to help Mrs Simpson.

She added: “I had three kids, a dog and a bag of shopping. I was defenceless. They couldn’t have picked a more vulnerable person. All I could think of was the children and they were screaming.

“I feel guilty for the kids – no-one should see their mum attacked like that in the street at 5 o’clock in the afternoon. It’s terrible. It’s just shocking. I can’t believe it.”

Mrs Simpson, whose watch was a 40th birthday present from her husband, said she no longer feels safe and the family is now considering leaving London – where she has lived all her life.

She added: “It’s been a really horrible experience and it has shaken me up.

“I have always been quite streetwise and always felt relatively safe. But in an instance that’s all changed.

“The police were very good, I would love them to catch them. It’s evil to do that in front of kids. The last thing I want is for the children to be petrified.”

Mrs Simpson suffered a bruised wrist and arm.

The attack took place in Abbeville Road in an area known as Nappy Valley because of its high numbers of families with young children.

Six years ago a gang dubbed the Nappy Valley stranglers were jailed for a crime spree that involved targeting lone women as they walked with their children in daylight.

Detectives have released CCTV footage of two men they would like to speak to in connection with the incident. The footage shows two men walking along Abbeville Road shortly before the incident, and then running back moments later.

DC Sam Smith from Lambeth CID, said: “This was a terrifying ordeal for the victim who not only feared for her own safety but also the safety of the young children with her. The suspects targeted the victim in broad daylight and used force even when the victim willingly offered to hand over the watch.

Anyone with information should call Lambeth CID on 07785 774 447 or 101 quoting reference 5797/10JUL.