NORTH LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - A brazen bandit was caught on camera robbing a mother in front of her children.
The incident happened on Aug. 23, around 4 p.m., at a grocery store in North Lauderdale.
Security camera footage from the parking lot shows the thief driving a light color Nissan into the plaza. He parked far and then proceeded to walk.
“Surveillance video shows that there’s a male subject that enters a parking lot in a light colored Nissan, parks his vehicle, exits the vehicle wearing a light colored hat and shirt and dark colored pants,” said Broward Sheriff’s Office deputy Gerdy St. Louis.
Then, another video shows Jessica Greer exit her car with her three children– youngest only being 3 years old, walking towards the grocery story. In the distance you can see the man following behind them.
“You can see the man walking through the parking lot, and a short time later, you see the mother and her three children also walking through the parking lot,” said St. Louis. “He appears to be talking on his cellphone, and we don’t know if he’s casing the woman.”
Greer walks into the store, and the man walks behind her, then grabs her neck.
“I was choked from behind and out of surprise — natural human reaction– I turn around and start swinging into action,” she said. “I don’t think anybody expects to be choked walking into a grocery store. I grabbed ahold of him as I turned to the side. You can see on the camera, I turned to the side, grabbed a hold of him and started punching and punching and punching, and hoping you know– and he took off running, but before that happened I fell to the floor, my daughter fell on top of me and he fell on top of my daughter– my 3-year-old.”
While Greer and the thief tussled, she told her 7-year-old to run and get help.
“He was thinking that he had the perfect opportunity,” said Greer. “It was the wrong mom.”
The man then grabbed her necklace, sprinted out of store and back to his car.
“He got away with a fake gold chain. Yeah, a fake gold chain,” said Greer.
“Detectives are asking anyone with information regarding this incident or regarding the identity of the individual to contact Broward Crime Stoppers,” said St. Louis.
“I want everybody to see his face,” said Greer. “I want everybody to blast it all over your social media. We need to stop these criminals preying on single women, single mothers. It’s not fair.”
If you have any information on this robbery, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
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