Ocoee police search for Publix purse-snatcher

Police say man knocked woman, 74, to ground, stole purse

OCOEE, Fla. – Ocoee police are searching for the man they say stole a 74-year-old woman's purse in the parking lot of a Publix on Friday morning.

Police said the woman was walking into the Publix on East Silver Star Road just before 10:30 a.m. when the man knocked her to the ground and stole her purse.

Her family told Local 6 that she is in the hospital with a broken collarbone and internal bleeding of the brain. They called the three men who attacked their mother cowards with no conscience.

In the video released by Ocoee police, the woman is seen entering the store, wiping a cart and walking in to buy groceries, but in just seconds, she became someone's target -- her purse was snatched, she was tossed and the three men ran.

She was left lying on the ground until employees rushed over to help.

The three men appeared to leave the store with nothing before the attack.

As the search continues for them, customers were stunned.

"Obviously, if someone is willing to do that to an elderly person, they'll do that anybody," said shopper Amy Timberlake.

"That is horrendous. I know one thing that my mom does, though, is that she usually hooks her purse with the (shopping cart) seat belt hook," said shopper Timbrel Rajala.

The man who took the purse, along with two other men, got in a two-door vehicle, possibly purple, and drove away, according to the report.

Call Crimeline at 1-800-423-8477 if you have any information on the purse-snatching.


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