A BLIND university student robbed within metres of her front door has shaken off the cowardly attack to return to lectures yesterday, despite losing months of work in Monday’s ordeal.

Witnesses said a man followed 24-year-old student Ria Andriani, who was walking with her cane, before grabbing her bag in her neighbour’s driveway in Padstow about 5.25pm.

‘‘He ran past me and grabbed my bag,’’ she said. ‘‘I thought someone was playing a joke on me but then I realised that something bad had happened.

media_camera Davies Street in Padstow where the blind woman had her bag snatched.

“He slid it off, it was quite sudden. I wasn’t hurt, which made me think: ‘What just happened?’ It took me a

few seconds to realise someone had taken my bag.”

The bag contained her wallet, cash and her Plextalk Pocket Player and Recorder, which contained months of university notes.

Despite the setback the courageous student was back at lectures studying music and art yesterday. “I was pretty shaken, but I’m all right now,” she said.

media_camera Bankstown LAC Crime Manager, Detective Chief Inspector Glen Fitzgerald speaks to the media about the bag-snatch robbery. Picture: Melvyn Knipe

Last night a local resident returned her bag.

“It still has my ID, my wallet minus the cash, but no valuables. It was found scattered on the pavement,” she said.

Ms Andriani was walking home from the station with her cane, which police believe caused the man to target her.

Detective Chief Inspector Glen Fitzgerald said the offender was a coward. “This is a person who gets around in the community on her own. But she has her chin up and is out there again today,” he said.

“There were items that were stolen from her that were required by her

and not of any value to any person other than her.”

Police are reviewing CCTV footage near the station and urge anyone with information to come forward. They described the man as being of Middle Eastern appearance with short brown hair and a cropped beard.