SANTA MONICA—Authorities are looking for a suspect who robbed an elderly woman, and dragged her on the side of a vehicle on Friday, November 6, outside of the Pavilions grocery store. The store was located at 815 Montana Avenue.
The woman, 77, whose name has not been disclosed to the public was seen by witnesses at around 5:22 p.m., putting away her groceries in her trunk.
A van, reportedly with tinted windows and according to a video a user posted on the crime safety app, Citizen, was “kind of beat up,” attempted to steal her purse. He tried to force it out of her hand, but the victim did not let go.
Sirens from emergency safety vehicles can be heard in the background of the video, as several people, along with authorities, are standing around the scene of the incident, with paramedics treating the victim.
“What’s happened is an elderly woman, 77, was at the Pavilions parking lot, putting groceries in her car, when a white minivan with heavily tinted windows that was kind of beat up pulled open the side door, and snatched her purse, then it dragged it her for a bit, where she fell. This is on Montana,” the user described in the video.
In a follow-up to the first video on Citizen App, the scene of the crime is shown more, as authorities continue to speak to witnesses, describing the incident. The victim is still laying on the ground with paramedics. A helicopter can be heard in the background, along with lights and sirens of emergency safety vehicles.
The victim could not be reached for comment, following the incident, as she was still being treated for injuries.
The Santa Monica Police Department have informed citizens if they have any information on the incident to contact the Criminal Detective Division at (310) 458-8451.
