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Footy star's mother dies after bag snatch
  

Les Kennedy
Sydney Morning Herald
May 23, 2010
  

The elderly mother of former rugby league first-grade player Joe Thomas has died in hospital after being critically injured by a bag snatcher.

Mascot detectives were last night searching the south-eastern Sydney suburbs of Botany and Maroubra for the thief.

Police from Botany Bay Local Area Command have formed Strike Force Cupro to investigate the incident.

Maria Thomas, 71, sustained massive head injuries in the robbery. Police said she was taken by surprise by the man, riding a dark-coloured mountain bike, while walking from her home in Rosebery along busy Gardeners Road to the Eastlakes shopping centre on Friday afternoon.

The man dismounted and lunged at Mrs Thomas, pulling her handbag from her shoulder and dragging her to the ground. The man then rode off with her handbag.

Onlookers rushed to her aid, calling police and ambulance officers to the scene. When they arrived, Mrs Thomas was unconscious, having suffered cardiac arrest. As they were trying to revive her, her mobile phone, which had been knocked to the ground in the attack, began to
ring and one of the paramedics took the call, said a shocked family friend, who asked not to be named.

''The call was from her grandson and that is how the family learnt of the attack,'' the friend said. ''Its just unbelievable - she was just a frail woman targeted on her way to the shops.''

Mrs Thomas was taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, and placed on life support after surgery. She died overnight, say police.

Her son Joe is regarded as a role model and mentor to up-and-coming footballers and to troubled young players in Sydney's eastern and southern suburbs.

He played hooker for South Sydney, Canterbury Bulldogs, Western Suburbs and Illawarra in the 1980s and early '90s.

Police described the attacker as being in his 20s, with dark hair, wearing black pants, a dark-coloured top and white sneakers.

Anyone with information about the matter is urged to contact Mascot Police on (02) 8338 7399 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

- with AAP

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