Cape Town - Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear headphones, like radio jock Tyrone Paulsen.
The DJ, who hosts The Heart Beats with Tyrone Paulsen every Friday and Saturday night on HeartFM, has been hailed a hero after he selflessly chased after a robber and pinned him down until police arrived to arrest him.
And his act of bravery was caught on a video that has gone viral.
On Sunday, 9 May, Tyrone was in his neighbourhood in Monte Vista when he caught a man who tried to rob a woman walking her baby in a pram in Monte Vista Boulevard.
The video, which was posted on the District Group Facebook page and has clocked 21 000 views, shows a woman walking in the street with the pram.
A man walking near her approaches and, according to the video’s caption, asks her for money.
When she tells him she doesn’t have, he tries to rob her.
But the brave mom kicks the robber and pushes him away as the pram falls over.
The robber runs off empty-handed, but a few seconds later Tyrone is hot on his heels.
The radio star, who was in his house three doors away, says he heard a woman screaming.
“I was barefoot, sitting and reading something online when I heard this terrifying scream,” he explains.
“I heard a car hooting and I walked outside to go check. I saw this guy running down the street and the lady waving, still screaming.”
Tyrone shared exclusive footage with the Daily Voice that shows him chasing the suspect 36 seconds after he attacked the woman and baby.
“He tried to change direction and run to the other road, but I ran after him and caught up with him and I got him to a point where I could apprehend and keep him in a safe spot until the security company and police arrived.
“I didn't even know there was a baby involved who was in a pram.”
Tyrone says it only occurred to him afterwards that the skelm could have been armed, and jokes: “He was trying to get something out of his pocket, but gave up because he probably got afraid of this bald, old, fat kaalvoet man.”
Victim Nicole Brink, 30, and her one-year-old baby girl Lilly, were taking a stroll down the boulevard on Mothers Day not expecting to have to fight for survival minutes later.
Nicole told Daily Voice: “Initially when I saw him, I got that gut feeling in my stomach that he was potentially dangerous, but being a woman in this country it's almost a natural response to feel under threat when a man is walking behind you or in front of you. I did acknowledge him as I wanted him to be aware of the fact that I knew he was there.
“I kept on walking as it was broad daylight on a busy road and thought that he wouldn't do anything I also considered taking out my cell phone and calling District Watch, but I did want to show that it was on my person as other than my phone, Lily and the Flings she was eating, I had nothing on my possession.
Nicole says the robber still wished her for Mother’s Day before he attacked her .
“He did say Happy Mothers Day to me after a while and I looked and nodded as I had my mask on so I couldn't smile. A few moments later he asked for money and my words were, ’I'm sorry my man, I have nothing on me’, and he just looked away and then at the next block he just looked at me and started saying something and then made his way towards me.
“At that moment, it was just my instinct to scream and defend Lily. I was just screaming, ’help, my child, my child’."
I think it was probably motherly instinct mostly, but also I am very much for the women empowerment movement that our country so desperately needs and I pride myself on standing up against violence and abuse and that also played a role.
“He was also not physically that intimidating, but even if he had a weapon I don't think it would have changed my response.”
Nicole thanked Tyrone for his bravery: "I was so grateful that he caught the man, by the time he had tackled him a few of the other male residents in the area had come out to investigate.
“We had a brief chat and a little laugh because I said I just looked up and saw this man in his bright, lumo orange pants sprinting."
Police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana confirms: “A 31-year-old suspect was arrested and appeared in the Goodwood Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 11 May, on a charge of attempted robbery.”