Purse Thieves Drag Woman Through Anaheim Walmart Parking Lot
ANAHEIM (CBSLA) – Authorities are looking for two female suspects who dragged a woman 150 feet alongside their car through a Walmart parking lot in Anaheim last week while trying to steal her purse.
The 67-year-old woman suffered abrasions all over her body, including on her hands, arms, legs and abdomen, Anaheim police report. Some of the incident was caught on security video.
"I got blood all over my hand," victim Imelda Niess said.
The robbery attempt occurred a little after 8 a.m. on Feb. 13 after the victim had finished shopping at a Walmart located at 440 Euclid St.
Niess was putting purchases in her car when a white four-door sedan, possibly a Nissan Sentra, pulled up and a suspect in the passenger seat reached out through the window and tried to grab the victim's purse off her shoulder, police said.
When she refused to give up the purse, the suspects sped up, and the woman was subsequently dragged through the parking lot, still clutching her purse.
"I did not let it go, they dragged me, and I still did not let it go," said Niess.
The suspect in the passenger seat eventually let go of the purse and Niess fell to the ground, police said.
Police have released surveillance photos of the two female suspects that show them inside the Walmart prior to the robbery attempt.
Anyone with information on their identities should call Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS.