MENUFIYA: Proving to be a rare breed, Hanaa El Sayed has acquired a notorious reputation as a fearsome thug and armed robber.
El Sayed had ventured into part of the criminal world thought to have been restricted to men with accurately executed crimes. The many years of her run-ins with the police have not deterred her, as she constantly used to change her style and appearance.
In her early days, she was a professional beggar, who spent time in and out of rehabilitation institutions. Following long years on the streets, she ended up running a kiosk selling tea and coffee to microbus drivers. Soon enough she became the leader of the microbus station by imposing royalties on the drivers and controlling the traffic inside the city.
This stage of her life ended when she inflicted a permanent injury on a young man who refused to obey her orders. She was arrested more than once and tasted the bitterness of jail frequently, but every time she would come out of prison stronger and tougher.
She also dabbled in drug dealing for a short time, both selling drugs to addicts and providing places for addicts to use drugs. After her arrest and release, she expanded her activities in Menufiya governorate.
She started carrying a pocket knife with which she was quick to threaten men and women. She would chase them in dark streets for their money and mobile phones. She would sometimes leave them almost naked, to keep them preoccupied with covering their bodies rather than chasing after her or asking for help.
Many people had filed complaints to the police in Shebin in Menufiya, confirming that a woman had robbed them at gunpoint. All complaints provided the same description of the criminal, who was wearing a galabeya, and sometimes a pair of jeans but she used to change her hair color.
Victims first thought she was a prostitute before she revealed her malicious intentions and pointed a jackknife at them, threatening to disfigure their faces unless they succumbed to her demands and gave her all their possessions.
After several ambush attempts in areas where she was known to commit her crimes, she was finally arrested.
At the police station, she spoke few yet meaningful words, relating her story not regretting an iota of what she did. It was almost as if she was relating the heroic events of a film that she was starring.
She also revealed that she was a mother of a number of children living in an old house without a breadwinner.
Overburdened with debt, El Sayed has never seen a good day in her life. All her days had the same bitter taste.
Targeting affluent neighborhoods, she used to deceive her victims by first claiming that she needs assistance. Once the victim responds, she reveals her malicious intentions using a weapon to get her point across.
