Actor Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays detective Sherlock Holmes in the television series Sherlock, foiled an attempted robbery by fighting off a gang of muggers in London. The attack occurred near his fictional character's home on Baker Street.
Cumberbatch and his wife, Sophie Hunter, were riding in an Uber when the 41-year-old actor spotted the attempted mugging on Marylebone High Street and jumped out of the vehicle. Four muggers were attacking a Deliveroo cyclist and attempting to steal his bicycle. According to witnesses, Cumberbatch screamed at the attackers and then dragged them off of the victim.
Uber driver Manuel Dias, 53, told The Sun, "I was taking Benedict and his wife to a club — but I didn't know it was him at first."
"I went to turn down into Marylebone High Street and we saw four guys were pushing around a Deliveroo cyclist. My passenger jumped out, ran over and pulled the men away. They turned towards him and things looked like they were getting worse, so I joined in. He stood there instructing them in the street, shouting, 'Leave him alone.' "
"Then it all got a bit surreal. Here was Sherlock Holmes fighting off four attackers just round the corner from Baker Street," Dias continued. "I had hold of one lad and Benedict another. He seemed to know exactly what he was doing. He was very brave. He did most of it, to be honest. They tried to hit him, but he defended himself and pushed them away. He wasn't injured. Then I think they also recognized it was Benedict and ran away."