South Sacramento Woman Violently Robbed At Her Own Front Door
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - A violent robbery in South Sacramento was caught on camera. Now the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department is asking the public for help identifying the suspects. They believe it may be connected to a series of crimes targeting the Asian community.
"First thing, I think about my kids inside the house so I just let them go," said the victim, who asked to remain anonymous.
The robbery happened in August outside of the victim's home on Dolphinfish Way in south Sacramento. She told CBS13 they took her purse, phone and money in a matter of minutes. She was returning home from Costco when a man ran up and grabbed her from behind. Then another man ran up and covered her mouth.
"When they grabbed my purse, they just ran away," she said. "At that moment, I knew I got robbed."
She hopes video of what happened can help Sacramento County Sheriff's Department deputies catch the two suspects. According to the victim, the two men left in separate vehicles and were both black males between 18 and 25, one between 5'8" and 5'10" and the other 6 feet tall.
Sergeant Tony Turnball with the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department told CBS13 that detectives have seen an increase in the number of criminals targeting Asian people, specifically women.
"They're alone, they're female, they're smaller in stature," he said, adding that in some cases, the criminals assume they have cash on hand.
Many of these crimes have happened between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. The latest incident happened around 10 p.m.
"Everyone is just doing what they want to do now, and I don't even feel safe anymore," said Patrie Phan, owner of Vi's Florist, who is worried about working late at night. "As a female, as an Asian being targeted, I am very nervous and I just got a text from my sister that said 'Don't be out there late!'"
The latest victim said while she's worried, she's doesn't plan on losing her independence.
"From now on, I gonna go and get the gun to protect myself and my kids," Phan said.
She told CBS13 she would like to see more police presence in her area on a regular basis and wants her neighbors to continue to be aware of their surroundings.