Batman costume-wearing man chases Norwich handbag thief
On September 19, a man dressed as Batman chased a suspected handbag thief through Norwich after a dispute outside a nightclub, eventually scaling a high flint wall to retrieve the stolen property. Sonni Mason, a 25-year-old cafe worker from London, performed the retrieval after the bag was tracked to the perimeter of Norwich Cathedral.
Late-Night Confrontation Outside a Norwich Nightclub
The bizarre sequence began on a Saturday night outside a Norwich nightclub during a queue dispute. According to Sonni Mason’s account on TikTok, a dispute over a pack of cigarettes prompted someone to swipe a handbag. Mason was dressed in a Batman costume for a friend’s birthday fancy dress party when the incident occurred.
The pursuit quickly expanded to include other members of the party wearing comic book attire. Mason was joined in the chase by individuals dressed as Mister Fantastic from the Fantastic Four and Poison Ivy, a character from the Batman franchise. The group of costumed partygoers flagged down a group of police officers on routine night-time economy patrols as they pursued the suspect.
Tracking the Handbag to Norwich Cathedral
By the time the costumed group caught up with the suspect, the handbag was no longer in the individual’s possession. Following a tip-off, the bag was located approximately 300 metres from the spot where it was snatched. It rested on top of a high flint wall on the perimeter of Norwich Cathedral.
Initial attempts to bring the bag down using a roll of toilet paper failed. Mason, still wearing his Batman costume, scaled the flint wall to retrieve the item. He successfully returned the handbag to its owner with all of its contents intact.
Police Confirmation and Public Response
Norfolk police confirmed that officers on routine night-time economy patrols in Norwich were approached by a member of the public on Saturday, September 19, requesting help to find a missing bag. Following inquiries at the scene, authorities located the bag with all its contents intact and returned it to its owner.
Speaking to the SWNS news agency, Mason reflected on the incident and his choice of attire. “I hope I can inspire people to be a little bit more like Batman. Not so much the running around in the dark in a costume but helping others out. I didn’t expect to be scaling up a wall,” Mason said. He added that the character represents being brave, bold, and kind, and expressed hope that others would step in to assist individuals facing muggings or discomfort on a night out.