PALO ALTO — An elderly woman was robbed and injured by an armed suspect while she was parked inside her car near Greer Park Friday night, police said in a press release.
At about 7:36 p.m. Friday police received a report of an armed robbery taking place at the 1000 block of Tanland Drive, where the suspects and last been seen driving away in a vehicle eastbound on Amarillo Avenue. The victim, who is in her seventies, sustained minor physical injuries and the suspect — as well as his accomplice who drove the getaway car — remain at large.
During their investigation, police found that the victim had just returned to her parked vehicle. As she sat in the driver’s seat, she placed her purse on the front passenger seat and then noticed a man get out of a vehicle that had just pulled dup across the street.
Police say that man then walked over to the victim’s car, opened the passenger side door, and tried to take her purse. The victim held onto the purse, police said, and a brief struggle ensued before the suspect was able to wrest the purse away from the victim and run back to the waiting car.
The car then sped away toward Amarillo Avenue, police said, and a witness reported that it turned eastbound to head towards West Bayshore Road. The victim complained of pain to one of her hands but declined medical attention, police said.
The primary suspect is described by the victim as a male of unknown race between 18 and 22 years old, wearing a black or blue hooded sweatshirt with white lettering, police said. The victim did not see the driver of the suspect vehicle, police said.
The victim and witness described the suspect vehicle as a grey minivan or hatchback. Detective are investigating the case. Anyone with information is asked to call Palo Alto Police.
Source: www.mercurynews.com