Around 6pm, crowded place, 19th and Chestnut.
The event happened out of my sight. But the perp ran through an intersection about 30ft from me as I was in the process of unlocking my bike, with the victim running after him yelling "THIEF!"
At least one person halfheartedly tried to stop him, probably too shocked to know what to do, while some others yelled after to "STOP THAT GUY!" etc.
I was in the process of fiddling with lock/key/helmet/gloves/bag, and somewhat shocked. It occurred to me that I could at least follow him on my bike. But by that time he would have been a block away and I wouldn't have known which way to go. There was no longer any commotion I could hear and the victim had given up chasing.
This has me so upset! Why couldn't anyone do anything? Could I have done something? Can someone really just be robbed in a well-lit moderately crowded intersection of Center City Philadelphia during rush-hour? I'm really bothered by this and can't take my mind off it and relax. So I'm venting here.
As bicyclists, we're particularly vulnerable to theft/mugging. We ride around on fairly expensive and often expensive looking machines that are easily re-sold in a city and are an awesome get-away vehicle. Maybe that's why this has me so upset.
Thanks for listening.