NAPLES–A thief who tried to steal a bag from a passer by then attempted to escape on a motorcycle, was stopped by an African beggar as a crowd stood and watched. A small camera at a nearby shop captured the heroic act in Naples' mkean streets lasting a minute and 19 seconds.

 The mugging happened in the early afternoon the other day just few steps away from Via Domenico Capitelli and Piazza del Gesù, usually filled with tourists. As a video shows, the thief, identified as Carmine Troise, 38, was driving on his motorcycle in the opposite direction of the senior, then grabbed her bag; as she fell she was dragged for few yards until Troise fell to the ground himself.

  Witnessing the robbery nearby was a North African who ran to help the woman; the only one who tried. The African first returned the bag to its rightful owner, and then accused Troise of thievery pointing him out to other pedestrians. The scene in the video clearly shows the solitary anger of the victim amongst the crowds - who was then seen close by having a drink, evidently still shocked from the fall.

 The video showed that nobody seemed to pay attention or assist the African, rather they just stare. A man in the crowd apparently told the thief, “be careful.” When the thief tried to escape, it is still only the African who struggles to stop him by pushing him down with the motorcycle.

  Troise managed to escape but subsequently was arrested by the Neapolitan Carabinieri. The thief was discovered at his home with the motorcycle he had used during the robbery, and the sweater he had used to cover the plate of the scooter. The investigations have also brought to light other robberies the arrested man allegedly committed.

The incident recalls the “Mean World Syndrome” implying that violence in the media has reached high levels where the public become accustomed to it, affecting their perception of good and bad in the real world.

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