74-year-old hairdresser overpowers and detains robber

A 74-year-old hairstylist managed to overpower a robber and keep him under control until police arrived. The woman was startled but jumped into action when the suspect burst into her business on Op de Heugden in Landgraaf, Limburg.

The incident happened on Thursday afternoon, police said. “My customer had just left, and I was about to have something to eat when the man came in,” said Corrie de Pee in an interview with L1. “This is a robbery, give me all the money from the till,” she quoted the suspect as saying.

De Pee responded with an exasperated, “Oh for God’s sake,” before leaping at the robber. “I grabbed the man by the neck, we fell to the ground and then he was silent,” she continued. “When I had knocked the man to the ground, I called the police. They were there quickly.”

Police said on social media that a unit was already close to the hair and beauty salon and they were able to arrive shortly after the call to emergency services. The victim “fought back well, and kept the robber in place,” police stated.

He was handcuffed and brought to the station for questioning. De Pee said she still has to visit a doctor to make sure that she was not injured from the fall when she took out the would-be robber.

Her salon opened in 1972, and celebrated 51 years in business this week. De Pee told L1 that customers will still be welcomed with free coffee and cake, despite the attempted robbery.