Purse-snatching in Northern Liberties ends quickly with kick from South African karate instructor

An unidentified man snatched a woman’s handbag while she was in a dry-cleaner shop in Northern Liberties and ran off late Thursday afternoon, but he made the mistake of running past Action Karate about a half-block away.

Stephan Venter, a 33-year-old instructor at the school and a champion kickboxer from South Africa, heard cries for help and gave chase. He caught up to the thief and kicked him in the legs, Venter recalled, causing the man to stumble and drop the modest loot.

Venter returned the handbag to the stunned and grateful woman, Jennifer, 47, from Delaware County.

“This angel appears and he gives me my bag like it’s no big deal,” said Jennifer, who asked that her last name not be published because she’s still a “little freaked out” from the experience.

At the urging of Jennifer, the story was shared Friday morning on Facebook by Matthew Brenner, the co-owner of Action Karate in Northern Liberties.

Venter’s journey to the United States and Philadelphia started in 2023, when he saw a post on Facebook from Brenner about a job opening.

What followed, according to both men, was a year-and-a-half ordeal to obtain a work visa for Venter. They were trying to get an O-1 visa, which is used for people with an “extraordinary ability,” including in sports.

The overall process cost $12,000 in fees and legal expenses, and Venter was rejected twice, both men said.

Venter has three black belts in three separate martial arts, and is about to get a fourth, he said. He has competed in South Africa, Egypt, England, and the United States, garnering numerous medals.

“It was cool that he was a champion,” Brenner said, but he explained that Action Karate, which has numerous franchise locations, is focused on teaching martial arts to children and families, so an instructor has to be the right fit. The men had many hours of conversations and Venter came to the United States for a weeklong instructor tryout.

“More than anything, it was his personality, it was his character,” Brenner said.

Venter was finally approved last year and traveled to the United States by himself with only two suitcases. He arrived in Philadelphia in late October and immediately went to work.

Compared with the crime he faced in South Africa, he said, his experience in Philadelphia has been positive.

The purse-snatching on Thursday could have gone badly if the man had a gun, Venter conceded. But that wasn’t the case.

Jennifer said she was visiting Parkview Cleaners on North Third Street to get some alterations done. A man entered the shop and had a verbal exchange with Lita Dethan, who runs the business.

The man suddenly grabbed Jennifer’s handbag and took off. Jennifer and Dethan ran after him.

“We’re screaming, ‘Help! Stop him! Stop him!’” Jennifer said. She fell behind and did not see what happened next.

A security video in Action Karate, at Third and Poplar Streets, shows the mother of a student say that she heard something about a purse being taken. Suddenly, Venter can be seen running out the door.

Venter said he chased the man and demanded that he give up the handbag, but the man kept running until Venter caught up to him in the area of American and Brown Streets.

Venter said he just wanted the handbag, but “if he wants to brawl, I’m ready to brawl.”

After getting kicked by Venter, the man ran away. Venter returned the handbag to a grateful Jennifer.

“I just tried to do the right thing,” he said.

Besides praising Venter, Jennifer thanked Dethan for also running after the man.

“They really restored my faith in humanity,” she said.

Venter offered a free self-defense seminar for Jennifer and Dethan. Brenner posted on Facebook that the class was open to other women, and as of Friday night, at least 18 had expressed interest.