Exclusive: Elderly Women Speak About Frightening Kidnapping
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It's a story you saw first on Eyewitness News and just one week after they were attacked, the two victims spoke only to Eyewitness News about their frightening ordeal.
The 66 and 68-year-old friends were forced at knifepoint to drive to several ATMs to withdraw cash. Still fearing for their lives, the two women asked that we don't use their names.
"He took his right arm and went around my neck with the knife. My daughter had died not long ago and I thought I don't want to die like this." the 66-year-old said.
The 68-year-old added, "I did what he told me. When he told me to do something, I did it."
They are nervous because the man who kidnapped and robbed them at knifepoint is still out there. Police have since released surveillance photos hoping with help from the public, they can get the suspect off the street.
"He pushed me, punched me in my stomach and I said, 'No I'm not getting in the car' and he said, 'Get in the car' and he cursed," the 66-year-old said.
It happened last Tuesday evening around 8 o'clock. The two women, who say they are normally very aware of their surroundings, were caught off guard in the Franklin Mills Walmart parking lot. At knifepoint, they say the man ordered them to drive to a nearby ATM. They recall and are still grateful to the one woman who tried to help.
The 68-year-old said, "She followed us over to the first ATM and that's when the cops told her to stop because if he sees you following then he could do something."
The women were then forced to drive to two more ATMs.
"He called me, ma'am and he called her a curse word and he said, 'All I want to do is feed my family," the 66-year-old said.
The women don't buy his story, calling his actions inexcusable and praying he doesn't strike again.
The 68-year-old said, "I just don't want him to do it to someone else. It's not fair."
The 66-year-old added, "My daughter was watching over me. I'm here and I'm able to spend Thanksgiving with my family."
According to police, the victims withdrew a total of $700 from both accounts and gave the money to the suspect. The suspect then took an undetermined amount of money from the victims' purses and forced the victims to drive him back to the Franklin Mills Mall and fled the vehicle on foot behind Pathmark.
The suspect is described as a white male, 20-30 years-of-age, 5'8"-5'10", 160-190 lbs wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, dark pants with a white stripe, sunglasses, baseball cap armed with a knife.
Anyone with information is asked to call the police.
Reported by Elizabeth Hur, CBS 3
