Elderly man robbed in street in Limerick City

Gardaí have appealed for witnesses after a pensioner was attacked in Limerick City. The man, 72, was grabbed from behind by a cyclist while he took a stroll last Sunday afternoon.

The victim was dragged into an alleyway off Upper William St around 4pm and knocked to the ground by the lone attacker.

“He was alone and was attacked from behind by a cyclist who dragged his victim into a laneway, knocking him to the ground and forcibly trying to steal his wallet,” said Sgt Justin McCarthy, of Henry St Garda Station.

“The 72-year-old victim suffered cuts and bruises to his hands and knees and was fortunate not to be seriously injured.”

The man’s ordeal ended when a group of passersby intervened.

Gardaí are now looking for witnesses to contact them with information.

“It was only the intervention of members of the public that stopped the attacker who then escaped along the same laneway towards Lower Gerald Griffin St, said Sgt McCarthy.

The attacker is described “as wearing a brown-coloured hoody and blue denim jeans. He was cycling a lime- green coloured bicycle,” said Sgt McCarthy.

“It is likely a number of people witnessed this attack and no matter how trivial you think your information is, it may be of great importance to the Garda investigation.”

Gardaí at Henry St can be contacted at 061 212400 or witnesses can also contact the Garda Confidential Hotline on 1800 666 111.

Meanwhile, a man died after becoming stuck under a water-level marker buoy on the River Shannon in Limerick. The man was seen entering the river near Matthew Bridge around 3.30pm. He was pulled from the river and later pronounced dead in hospital.