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Video: 81-Year-Old Grandfather Beaten By Thief
By
Ben Yakas
Published Oct 1, 2011
Modified Oct 1, 2011
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Oct 1, 2011
Modified Oct 1, 2011
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An 81-year-old Bronx grandfather was attacked and beaten by a thief, and the whole altercation was caught on video. Octogenarian Jose Rodriguez described the attack to the News, recounting that he was jumped by the assailant and put in a chokehold in the lobby of his Parkchester apartment building Thursday afternoon: "I was going to give him what he wanted. I wasn't going to put up a fight, but he punched me in my face. I don't know why he did that." Watch below:
Rodriguez said he tried to protect himself: "I covered my face. He just kept hitting me and hitting me." The thief took Rodriguez's gold cross necklace and wallet, which only had $30 and credit cards. Rodriguez, a retired boiler room worker who has lived in the building for 35 years, was hospitalized with minor injuries that evening and left with a black right eye. Police describe the thief as between 17 and 20 years old. He was wearing a dark blue t-shirt and black sneakers and carrying a backpack during the attack.
Now Rodriguez, who has three grown children and two grandkids, is scared of his own neighborhood: "Everything has changed. I used to go get my hair cut at two or three in the morning, and I'd never have a problem. Now it's different. These young kids don't respect the old people like they used to."
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Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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