'Super Granny' Breaks up Jewelry Heist With Handbag

Feb. 8, 2011 -- A 75-year-old woman rushed into action yesterday morning when six robbers, with sledgehammers, attempted a smash-and-grab at a jewelry store in Northampton, England. Ann Timson, armed with only her handbag, took on the men, breaking up the robbery and causing them to flee without taking anything.

"At first I thought one of them was being set upon by three others. ... I was not going to stand by and watch somebody take a beating or worse so I tried to intervene," the grandmother told the Daily Mail. "What concerned me was that too many people just stood around watching as if they were in shock and nobody was doing anything. ... When I got closer to them I realized it was a robbery and then I was even more angry that they felt they could get away with what they were doing in broad daylight."

Some newspapers have given the elderly woman the nickname Super Granny. Because of her actions no one was injured and one of the robbers was detained by other members of the public at the scene. Police were later able to arrest three men, but are still looking for two other suspects.

Super Granny's remarkable feat was captured on video and uploaded to the Internet, instantly catapulting the private grandmother to international stardom.

"I'm not a hero and it was maybe foolish of me to get involved but somebody had to do something," she told the Daily Mail. "Now I just want to be left in peace. I feel very uncomfortable with all the press and media attention."