Man In Spider-Man Costume Attacks Woman, Steals Cash From Her; Arrested

KEY POINTS

The woman, who liked the man's Spider-Man costume, asked to click a photo of him
The man unexpectedly attacked the woman and fled with her cash
The attack took place on Monday in Hollywood, Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California -- A Los Angeles man wearing a Spider-Man costume struck a woman in the back of her head, stole $45 from her, and sped off on his bike, according to police. The accused was arrested after the victim called 911.

The unidentified victim told the police she was outside a laundromat at 1410 North Federal Highway in Hollywood on Monday when she saw the man in a Spider-Man costume, donning bright yellow shorts paired with sneakers, riding his bike, Local 10 reported.

The victim asked the man if she could take a picture of him, as she was smitten with the costume, and the man allowed it. The man, however, launched an unexpected attack on the woman when she was leaving and she fell to the ground, causing the cash to fall out of her pocket, NBC Miami reported.

The man then picked up the cash and fled the scene on his bike. After the victim alerted the cops, officers found the costumed man at South Federal Highway and Madison Street. The accused, identified as Lequan Payne, 36, was charged with robbery and resisting an officer without violence, Local 10 reported.

The officers found the victim's cash inside the accused's wallet, which was inside his backpack. Payne appeared in bond court Tuesday and told the judge he moved to Florida a few days ago and worked two jobs.

"I'm not a perfect person, I did have a record or whatever," he told the judge, according to NBC Miami. "But since I've been down here in Florida for two years, I've been working consistently the whole time I've been out here."

Payne is currently being held in Broward jail in lieu of a $6,000 bond.

In October 2021, a 24-year-old man dressed as "The Joker" for Halloween was arrested after he launched a knife attack on a moving train in Tokyo, Japan. The accused stabbed a 70-year-old passenger on the train and started a fire in one of the cars with cigarette lighter fluid, which burned a seat and filled the train with smoke. The elderly victim was in critical condition following the attack.