If you pay attention while walking around Japan, you’ll eventually see signs warning pedestrians to be careful of purse snatchers. While the average person may never be involved in such an incident, many take care to walk with their bags held away from the street to avoid scooter-riding thieves.

Unfortunately, one 80-year-old woman wasn’t prepared for a purse snatcher while riding an escalator, but she also wasn’t about to just throw her hands up and cry either.

▼A common sign warning pedestrians to be careful of purse snatchers.cautionImage via Sakichi

Tokyo police have publicly released the video of a surprising snatch-and-run that occurred on an escalator. The victim was an 80-year-old woman who was simply going about her business, riding a department store escalator up a few floors. In the video, a young man in business clothes is seen passing the elderly woman on the first flight. He waits for her to continue up to the next floor before dashing up the escalator, grabbing her bag midway, and sprinting off the top of the escalator, disappearing off camera.

This little old lady, however, had no intention of just letting the thief get away and chased him as fast as she could, charging after the man and disappearing off camera herself. Here’s where we wish we could tell you that there’s more footage revealing the spry old woman piledriving the thief into the floor and hauling him off to the police, but, unfortunately, life isn’t a movie.

Instead, the man got away and police still haven’t been able to find him. The old woman lost the 33,000 yen (about US$330) in cash she had in her bag. Since the incident occurred at the beginning of June, it seems unlikely that the police will be able to find the thief, but maybe you can help! Be sure to watch the video below, and, if you happen to recognize the unrepentant a-hole, call the cops. Do not try to mete out any vigilante justice of your own though. No matter what design you may have on your underwear, you’re not Batman and this guy isn’t the Joker.

▼Here’s the video. Watch carefully!

[ Read in Japanese ]