An 87-Year-Old Man Fights Off Would-Be Thieves
"Complete Chaos" as Larry Schwartz Defends His $48,000 Rolex
An American man in his 80s has become a sensation after overpowering two robbers attempting to steal a luxury watch.
According to the New York Post and other sources on September 5 (local time), Larry Schwartz, 87, and his wife Joanna Kuchia, 89, were leaving their New York City apartment around 11 a.m. on September 3 and heading to a nearby senior center. At that moment, a stranger who appeared to be in his 40s approached them, claiming he was from Dubai and asking for directions to Walmart.
An American man in his 80s has become a sensation after overpowering two robbers attempting to steal a luxury watch. Pexels.
When Kuchia replied, "There is no Walmart in New York City," the man said, "Please tell my wife as well," and led Kuchia to a gray sports utility vehicle (SUV). In the back seat behind the front passenger, there was a woman who appeared to be about 35 years old. This woman was wearing many rings and bracelets on her hands.
Kuchia explained, "It seemed like they wanted to show off how wealthy they were, but I wasn't interested in that." She continued, "The woman reached out her hand, so I thought she wanted to shake hands, but as she grabbed my hand and kissed the back of it, she started closely examining my rings and watch. I didn't like any of it," describing the situation at the time.
The situation changed rapidly when Schwartz, who was in the lobby, came out to see what was happening. The woman in the car seemed instantly captivated by Schwartz's Presidential Rolex. He had owned the watch for over 40 years, and its value is about $48,000 (approximately 67 million won). Suddenly, the woman offered to exchange her own Rolex, which looked like a cheap imitation, for his watch.
Schwartz realized the watch she handed him was a fake even before he fully grasped it. However, the moment he took the fake watch, the woman grabbed his wrist. Schwartz recalled, "She reached out and grabbed the watch on my wrist, skillfully moving her fingers down to undo the clasp." As the watch slipped off his wrist, Schwartz grabbed the woman's wrist and pulled her toward him. The woman hit the window and started screaming.
Schwartz said, "To make sure the situation was under control, I twisted her arm about three-quarters of the way," adding, "Even then, she was still holding tightly onto the watch, so I put my hand under her wrist and leaned into the car." Kuchia described the scene, saying, "It was a complete mess. My husband was in a tug-of-war with a villainess trying to snatch his real Rolex."
Eventually, the male accomplice got back into the car, started the engine, and began to drive away. Only then did Schwartz let go of the woman's wrist. As a result of the incident, Schwartz suffered minor bruises and scrapes but did not seek medical treatment.
Despite his age, Schwartz said that fighting off the robbers was simply his natural instinct. He stated, "I've exercised my whole life. I do strength training and run every day, and I complete nine yards (about 10.5 kilometers)." He added that although he managed to fend off the robbers, he doubted that ordinary citizens would have the necessary conditions or skills to confront such criminals.
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