Student fights off trio of would-be muggers

A STUDENT today told how she fought off a trio of muggers who tried to grab her bag containing a laptop computer.

The 21-year-old Napier University student had just finished her shift as part-time barmaid when she was confronted by the would-be thieves in the city centre's West Maitland Street at around 1:45am on Saturday.

She was walking towards Manor Place when she passed the suspect who began to follow her.

She said: "I could hear them saying to each other that I had a laptop in the bag so I knew they were going to try and jump me. "They tried to rip the strap of the bag away but I didn't want to give it up.

"I must've been struggling with them for a couple of minutes. They kept saying to me they would hit me if I didn't let go but I refused." The thieves eventually fled.

The first of the three male suspects is described as white, between 16 and 20 years old, 5ft 10in tall with an average build, short blonde hair and squint teeth. He was wearing a light-blue hooded top, dark coloured tracksuit bottoms and white trainers.

The second is white, between 16 and 20 years old, 5ft 6in with a slim to average build. He is believed to have been wearing a dark hooded top with the hood up.

The third suspect is white, between 16 and 20 years old with an average build and wearing a dark hood or hat.

A police spokesman said: "The young woman was able to resist the attempted robbery and was fortunately left uninjured following the incident.

"Nevertheless we are eager to locate those responsible and are appealing for anyone who was in or around Maitland Street at about 1:45am on Saturday and witnessed anything suspicious to contact police immediately."