Miami Police Need Help Catching Violent Purse Snatcher
MIAMI (CBSMiami) –Miami Police are hoping to catch a purse snatcher with a penchant for violence before he strikes again.
On Tuesday they released a surveillance video in hopes that some recognizes the robber and gives them or Crime Stoppers a call.
It happened Monday, March 23rd, around 8 a.m. Ivonne Majul had just gotten out of her car in the 7200 block of N Miami Avenue when a man ran up behind her and grabbed her purse that contained cash cards and documents.
Majul told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "It was a matter of seconds, so you can't think, but you know it was hard. It was a very sad moment. I thought he would kill me for sure. I was definitely worried about my safety."
"He just shouted something but I didn't understand what he said, I don't think he speak English," said Majul.
Majul, however, was not about to give up her purse so easily.
"He surprised me. He tried to take my bag, my purse, and uh, he took it," said Majul. "We fought just for seconds and he knocked me on the head and knocked me down."
He then took off, leaving Majul hurt and angry. Majul said it all happened so fast that she wasn't scared for her safety, but that's now changed.
"After that yes, before that no," said Majul. "I was definitely worried for my safety."
Majul told D'Oench she hopes the suspect will be caught so others won't be victimized.
"I don't want them to suffer as I did," she said. "At the same time I don't want him to continue doing that."
And she'll be careful.
"I just try to take care now when I go to my car," she said. "I am more careful now."
"I am from Uruguay and nothing like this has ever happened to me before," Majul said. "I will never forget this."
Detective Willie Moreno said "We do consider this suspect to be dangerous. We don't know what his next steps are. We would like the public's help to bring him to justice."
Looking at the surveillance tape with D'Oench inside his office, Moreno said, "He has no intentions of walking away without her purse so you can see on this video that he becomes violent. He body slams her into the ground. He is very violent."
Moreno said the suspect is about 5'9" tall and 160 pounds and was last seen wearing a light, gray hoody and black shorts.
"He is considered to be a black male, 19 to 21 years old," said Moreno. "He does have shoulder length dreads."
Anyone with information about this guy is urged to call Miami Police Department's Robbery Unit at (305) 603-6360 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471- TIPS (4877), visit crimestoppersmiami.com and select "Give a Tip" or send a text message to 274637. Enter CSMD followed by the tip information and press send.
