84-Year-Old Takes Down Mugger in Laundromat Showdown [WATCH]

In a moment that could only be described as sheer grit, 84-year-old Ron Croker turned an ordinary trip to a laundromat into a lesson in courage.

Armed with nothing but a pair of freshly laundered jeans, this retired foreman from Maltby, South Yorkshire, successfully defended himself against a masked thug demanding his money, as reported by The Daily Mail.

Croker was drying his clothes when the brazen intruder stormed in, shouting obscenities and demanding cash. But this wasn’t your average “frail old man.”

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Ron grabbed his folded trousers and lashed out, sending the would-be robber fleeing in shock. “He picked the wrong guy,” Croker told MailOnline. “He obviously thought I was a frail old man. I thought he was going to kill me.”

“I had my back against the wall but there was only ever going to be one loser and I wasn’t going to let it be me.”

The retired builder, who spent 42 years in the trade and raised 17 foster children with his wife, credits his scrappy upbringing for his quick reaction. “As kids, we used to scrap and knew how to protect ourselves, I had no fear in what I was doing, all I was thinking is has he got a knife, is he going to pull it out on me,” Croker added.

The altercation was caught on CCTV, showing the intruder repeatedly shouting, “Give me your f***ing money now,” as Croker stood firm, responding, “You get out of here, I haven’t got any money.” The thug shoved him, causing him to stumble, but Croker was undeterred. He grabbed his jeans and forced the man out of the laundromat.

Ron believes he was targeted after discussing his plans to withdraw £600 to buy new car tires. The incident, which occurred early Tuesday morning, left him with bruised hands and restless nights.

“I was just brought up to protect myself and I was not going to give in to him. When I close my eyes the only thing I can see is this thug racing towards me with a mask on, it’s all I can see at night.,” Croker admitted.

Despite the trauma, Croker has been overwhelmed by the support from his community. Locals in the former mining town have rallied around him, offering words of encouragement and even setting up a GoFundMe page.

The fundraiser, launched by Carl Goodfellow, has already surpassed £1,500 to help Croker replace his laundry trips with at-home facilities or provide him with something to brighten his day.

A laundromat worker praised Ron’s bravery, saying, “He just grabbed the nearest thing to defend himself. Any bloke shouldn’t have to be scared just going about his daily life.”

South Yorkshire Police confirmed they’ve arrested a 42-year-old homeless man in connection with the attempted robbery. He appeared in court this morning, facing charges for the brazen attack.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Croker said, “I hope I did a favor to people because if it hadn’t have been me it would have been somebody else. He just wanted to terrify people for money.”

Ron Croker’s courage serves as a reminder that even in a world of growing threats, there are still those who refuse to back down.