Victim punches attempted mugger in face, retrieves wallet, police say

October 5, 2017 5:43 PM

Site staff,

Posted: October 5, 2017 5:43 PM

Updated: December 24, 2019 6:26 AM

by Site staff

Victim punches attempted mugger in face, retrieves wallet, police say — 38-year-old Tino Luu, also known as Vu Bahung Luu, the Dane County Jail said.

MADISON, Wis. — A Madison man is facing charges Thursday after police say he tried to steal a stranger’s bag and wallet.

The Madison Police Department said a 23-year-old man was in the 700 block of State Street at about 1:15 a.m. when he gave a panhandler $1.

According to the report, the panhandler saw he also had a $20 bill in his wallet and asked for more cash.

The 23-year-old student told the panhandler no, placed his wallet in a plastic bag containing recent purchases and walked away.

The panhandler followed the victim, came up from behind and ripped the bag from the University of Wisconsin-Madison student’s hand, according to the report. The suspected thief attempted to run but was not fast enough. The victim caught the man and punched him, sending the panhandler to the pavement. The victim was able to recover his wallet and bag.

Police were called. The suspect, 38-year-old Tino B. Luu, was taken to a hospital for treatment of a facial injury before he was booked in jail.

The victim told an officer he had been studying for a test Thursday morning. He said he was distraught and wasn’t sure he could take the exam. He asked the officer if he could write him a note. The investigating officer provided him with a business card and a case number and that seemed to suffice.