Police have expressed their surprise at the audacity of two muggers who struck during peak evening rush hour outside East Croydon Station.

The men, described as black, around 6ft tall and about 20, had attempted and failed to steal a mobile phone from a 28-year-old woman at about 6pm on Wednesday October 17 while surrounded by tens of possible witnesses gathered outside the station and tram stop on George Street.

During a scuffle as the victim resisted the attack, keeping a tight hold on the phone, she was thrown to the floor and left with cuts and bruises on her head and elbow.

A police spokesman said: "According to one witness several onlookers tried to intervene and one of the assailants was reported to have hit out at them.

"This is an audacious attack these men obviously did not expect to be stopped despite the fact the area is heavily covered by CCTV."

He said one of the men has a very noticeable bushy Afro hairstyle.

Contact DS Demetriou at South Norwood Robbery Squad on 020 8649 1217.

October 24, 2001 17:00