South Florida

Crooks Target and Attack Women Shopping Alone in Broward County

Police are investigating a violent crime wave in cities across Broward County. Women shopping alone are targeted and robbed. Plantation Police confirm four incidents that happened within one week. 

According to police, the robberies have taken place in shopping center parking lots in the past week and are believed to have been committed by the same group.

NBC 6 spoke exclusively to one of the victims who was bloodied and bruised when she encountered the crooks. The woman wants to conceal her identity out of fear.

"They weren't really saying much. One of the individuals would not stop attacking us. I would yell 'stop, stop, stop' and trying to help my other colleague who was getting hit non-stop by this individual but they wouldn't stop," said the victim.

In some cases, the women are targeted as they leave stores, like Publix. The crooks follow them home, then rear-end the victim's vehicle. When the victim gets out of the car to assess the damage, the suspects pepper-spray the victims before robbing them.

On Sunday, a woman was targeted outside the Publix at 1181 S. University Drive as she was loading groceries into her car. A suspect pepper-sprayed her in the face and stole her purse.

Less than an hour later, a woman was robbed outside the Publix at 8101 W. Sunrise Boulevard, police said. She was also pepper-sprayed in the eyes and had her purse stolen.

On Tuesday afternoon, two women were walking through the parking lot at 1823 N. Pine Island Road when they were attacked and robbed, police said.

The most recent robbery happened Wednesday after a woman had shopped at the Publix at Northwest 69th Avenue and Broward Boulevard and had gone to her El Dorado Estates home..

Charles Morehead, a security guard at El Dorado Estates, said a resident was targeted at the complex. Video shows the woman entering the neighborhood along with the suspect's car tailing behind. The suspects then intentionally hit the car.  

"When she stopped to check the damage of her car the woman driving, got out and began to apologize to get close to her and then maced her," said Morehead.

The security guard said two armed men jumped out of the car and robbed the victim of $1,500, her phone, her keys and even carjacked her. 

Police said her car was later recovered.

Similar incidents were reported at different locations in the City of Fort Lauderdale.

Police said the suspects have used a black Nissan Altima with dark tinted windows. Two black women and a black man appear to be the suspects, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.

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