Mary Kennedy was loading groceries in her car at a Walmart in West Palm Beach when police say 35-year-old Gilberto Garcia told Kennedy she had a nail in her tire and then stole her purse (Courtesy WPTV)
What to Know
- A 91-year-old West Palm Beach woman is recovering at home after she fought with a robber who stole her purse in a store parking lot.
- The suspected robber, 35-year-old Gilberto Garcia, was able to get away but was caught after a witness took a picture of his license plate.
A 91-year-old West Palm Beach woman is recovering at home after she fought with a robber who stole her purse in a store parking lot.
Mary Kennedy told NBC affiliate WPTV that she was loading groceries into her car at a Walmart this past weekend when a man approached her and said she had a nail in her tire before taking the purse.
“I lunged at him and tried to get my pocketbook back and he pulled it through my fingers,” she told the station. “He body slammed me down to the concrete and that was it, that was all I knew, I couldn’t get up.”
The suspected robber, 35-year-old Gilberto Garcia, was able to get away but was caught hours later after a witness was able to snap a picture of his license plate and called police – who say Garcia confessed to the crime.
Kennedy, who did get her purse back, initially didn’t seek medical attention for one simple reason.
“I wanted to go see the (Miami) Dolphins game. I waited all week for that, but the next morning I realized I couldn’t walk,” Kennedy said.
Local
Kennedy eventually went to a local hospital where she received treatment for bruises as well as a fractured pelvis and tailbone. She is expected to make a complete recovery while undergoing physical therapy.
