Brave Mother Chases Robber
Newcastle Herald
Saturday January 12, 2002
WHEN a man stole money from staff at a veterinary clinic in Lake Macquarie around 11.40am yesterday, nurse Lisa Verschelden did not hesitate.
The mother of two ran after the man, grabbing his shirt to try to stop him, even though she had no way of knowing if he could be violent.
But he shrugged her off and got away with her money.
Ms Verschelden said she did not consider the potential danger she had placed herself in before chasing the man up the Pacific Highway for several minutes.
`I was just so angry,' she said.
`I am a single parent with two children and I work really hard for my money.
The 36-year-old said she had planned to use the money to buy birthday gifts for her children.
She saw the man running away from the surgery after he had taken $100 from her handbag and $150 from her colleague's, which were in a private office.
Staff were occupied in another part of the building when the man walked in and took the money.
He ran off when Ms Verschelden saw him and was well ahead of her when she followed him out the door but she caught up quickly.
`I grabbed his shirt and stood in front of him to try and stop him but he just kept going,' she said.
When she returned to the surgery, she was able to give an accurate description of the man to police.
He is described as aged 19 to 20 and wearing blue jeans, a cream-coloured shirt and a white baseball cap.
Belmont police are investigating the matter.
© 2002 Newcastle Herald
