> “...we were approached by some people asking to borrow a lighter..” <
Roughly the same thing happened to a guy I know. He was walking home to his city apartment shortly after dusk. It was a relatively safe area.
Three urban gentlemen approached him and asked him what time it was. When he looked down at his watch, pow! He was knocked to the ground. The urban gentlemen took his wallet and his watch.
Luckily my acquaintance was only shaken up - nothing was broken.
Urban “gentlemen”...I’d say feral degenerates.