Brookline Woman Fights off Would-Be Scooter Thieves

A tenacious Brookline woman reportedly fought off two men who jumped her and tried to steal her electric scooter outside her Verndale Street home earlier this week.

Police have not released the name of the victim, but WBZ-TV has identified former Olympic swimmer Jenny Thompson as the woman involved in the June 28 incident. The house where the attack occurred, 27 Verndale St., includes a condo owned by a Jennifer Thompson, according to the town assessor's database.

According to a police report, the victim was riding her Vespa motorcycle in North Brookline when she noticed she was being followed by a dark-colored van with its headlights out. When the victim pulled into the driveway of 27 Verndale St., two men reportedly excited the vehicle and approached her.

The victim told police she asked one of them men if he knew his headlights were out, to which he responded, "Your lights are out," and punched her in the face. The men reportedly grabbed the scooter and tried to pull it from the victim, who held on to it and screamed until the men fled.

When police arrived at the scene, the victim was sitting on the sidewalk and bleeding from a cut on her nose. Several witnesses reported seeing the men running toward Harvard Street.

Less than three hours after the attack, police arrested three teenagers suspected of stealing multiple electric scooters around Brookline. Luis Santos, 18, of 132 Adams St., Dorchester, was arrested for receiving stolen property along with two other 15-year-old Brighton High students who police have not identified because of their age.

Sergeant Robert Disario said police have not yet determined whether the teens were involved in the Verndale Street attack.

"We're still not sure," Disario said. "Detectives are still investigating."