Franck Andersen is still surprised that we dwell on his story.
However, his act is not trivial: to spin a pickpocket on roller blades in the streets of Boulogne-Billancourt (Hauts-de-Seine), while calling the police at the same time ... and ultimately allow the arrest of the criminal.
This "act of courage", Franck, 52, undertook on September 17, in the middle of the afternoon.
This sophrologist is then in his office, rue de l'Ouest, when he hears shout "Thief!"
"It was a heart-rending cry that broke my heart," recalls the Boulonnais.
There, at the foot of his office, Franck Andersen discovers a 74-year-old grandmother.
She has just had her gold necklace ripped off as she was picking up her grandchildren from school.
Her attacker, a 34-year-old man, has just fled.
“I just had time to see his striped T-shirt,” explains Franck.
Half an hour of crazy spinning at full speed
The sophrologist does not "think" and grabs his rollers.
"I put on my wings," he laughs.
Franck carries them everywhere.
In Boulogne, the inhabitants even nickname him "Rollerman".
“I was a rollerblade courier for a long time.
I went from production box to production box ”, explains Franck Andersen, creator of the“ Roller partner ”company.
He is also at the origin of the well-known roller skating tour of Boulogne which brings together hundreds of participants on wheels every year.
Franck Andersen (in orange in the foreground) is the creator of the Boulogne-Billancourt roller skate.
DR.
But that day in September, he took the road on rollerblades alone.
“When I came out of my office with my roller blades on my feet, people were gathered around the victim, haggard.
Everyone was looking in the same direction and I heard the victim say He
went to the right!
»
Franck rushes.
He goes in pursuit of the aggressor.
And ends up finding him in a quieter street.
“He wouldn't run anymore then, I stayed behind him, 20 meters away.
At the same time, "Rollerman" warns the police.
"They took the information, asked me what the thief looked like ..." Franck continues his spinning for half an hour from street to street.
His pursuit brings him to the Porte de Saint-Cloud, in Paris (16th century).
"I find that I have no merit"
The thief crosses the ring road and arrives on the Paris side.
Franck watches him from a good distance.
"The police from the Boulogne police station called me back at that time and I was able to tell them where he was," recalls the fifty-year-old.
There, I saw three police cars coming from several directions and arresting the thief.
"
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On the spot, the police warmly congratulate Franck.
"I find that I have no merit, he says, modestly.
Compared to what they do all day, I didn't do anything.
"
But his spinning gave a big boost to the police.
The next day, the perpetrator was tried in immediate appearance for “theft with violence” at the Nanterre tribunal de grande instance.
He was sentenced to six months in prison with a committal warrant, according to the Nanterre prosecutor's office.
An elected official in Boulogne wishes to be awarded a medal
This story, Antoine de Jerphanion, elected (various right) of the opposition, decided to relay his Twitter account this week.
“It is a courageous and selfless act.
He didn't have to do that, observes the elected official, who wrote to the mayor to propose the city's medal.
In this complicated time, it feels good to have good news.
The city has yet to respond.
Thanks to @FranckAndersen, famous rollerman of #BoulogneBillancourt, who helped to arrest the author of a snatching robbery in the rue Belle-feuille district!
➡️ https://t.co/0NARoMCpaW pic.twitter.com/Jfl3EKtIaa
- Antoine de Jerphanion (@ 2jerph) November 12, 2020
Since then, Franck Andersen has received nice messages, “even from people I don't know”, on social networks.
"Ah, well, someone has just said hi in the street," says the person concerned, by phone, while he is circulating ... on rollerblades in the streets of Boulogne.
It's crazy anyway this story.
"
And the 74-year-old victim?
After the accident, she contacted Franck again to thank him.
"I told him to come and have coffee at my office," says Franck Andersen.
The septuagenarian arrived… with a bottle of champagne.
