Yesterday, we broke the news that model Thalia Heffernan had been attacked and mugged in Dublin city centre, just hours before she bravely walked in the Brown Thomas Autumn/Winter 15 show.
The young Morgan The Agency beauty had been walking on Mercer Street, between Grafton Street and George’s Street, in the early hours of yesterday morning when she was set upon by a teenage girl.
The 20-year-old was repeatedly hit by the teenager, who was then joined by others who helped steal Thalia’s bag, which contained her phone, cash, visa debit card and other valuables.
Thalia said she was left shaken after the horrible incident:
“I was on my way to work, I wasn’t under the influence, I was simply walking in my gym gear to a show and they caught me off guard. It could happen to absolutely anyone, and I’m telling you now they show no mercy.”
Support came flooding in on her Facebook page where she originally shared what had happened to her, with pals saying: “They’ve messed with the wrong girl.”
And this very much seems to be the case as Thalia vows that she will do all she can to help the gardai catch “these young, pitiless criminals.”
As well as making an official statement to the gardai, the model says she now wants to raise awareness of the dangers of walking at night alone “so parents, brothers and sisters dont have to worry about their loved ones being harrassed, robbed or worse.”
“I really hope I can be the voice of change,” Thalia said. “Something’s gotta give, they can’t be allowed to do this kind of thing anymore. I’ll do whatever I can!”
The brave Irish stunner also took to the airwaves this morning to warn people of the thugs that are roaming the city and how best to stay safe.
“I wasn’t trying to highlight what happened to me individually, I was tying to highlight what’s happening on a larger scale around the city and the vulnerability of people,” she told Brendan O’Connor on RTE Radio One.
“They’re attacking at that hour of the morning where you wouldn’t be expecting them and they do hide,” she said. “I want to make people aware of the dangers of walking around at that time.”
“I’ve earned my belongings and my possessions and to have them taken in that type of aggressive way was very hurtful to me,” she commented.
“I think to draw their attention to the scale of what they did and what they have done to others and hopefully, just to get them to realise what they’ve done.”
