Knife-wielding mugger no match for Arsenal’s ‘Tank’
DRAMATIC CCTV footage showing the moment an Arsenal footballer faced down a knife-wielding mugger has been released following the conviction of two men.
Sead Kolasinac, who is from Bosnia and is nicknamed “The Tank”, took on the attackers who tried to ambush him and his team-mate Mesut Ozil in Hampstead, north London, last July.
Jordan Northover, 26, and Ashley Smith, 30, who have admitted attempting to rob the players of their £200,000 watches.
Mr Ozil, who earns £350,000 per week, managed to speed away from the scene as the muggers gave chase. The players then took refuge in a Turkish restaurant while the police were called.
Northover pleaded guilty to attempting to rob the two Arsenal players at Harrow Crown Court; Smith had admitted the offence at a previous hearing.
They will be sentenced at a later date.
Johanna Quinn, prosecuting, said the Premier League players had been targeted for their high-value watches in one of London’s most exclusive neighbourhoods.
She explained how Mr Kolasinac could be seen handing over the watch in a box to Mr Ozil while the driver’s door was open.
A moped then pulls up and the pillion passenger gets off and points a knife at Mr Kolansinac, who appears not to flinch before he lunges at his attacker.
The footballer then jumped into Mr Ozil’s car and the pair sped off pursued by the moped. They drove to a nearby Turkish restaurant where they knew the owner and the police were called.
The two moped riders were later spotted pulling into a road in Borehamwood where they changed clothes and chained up the bike. “Both the defendants’ DNA was found on a rucksack left at the scene,” Ms Quinn said.
Ch Insp Jim Corbett of the Metropolitan Police said: “Northover and Smith attempted this brazen robbery after travelling around streets nearby, looking for people to rob.
“Northover didn’t hesitate to draw a weapon when making demands, but he didn’t bargain on being challenged and the pair went away empty-handed.
“The victim and the people who were visiting him, while unharmed, were shaken by the incident.”