A brazen thief was caught on camera violently robbing a woman in front of her kids at a North Lauderdale grocery store and now authorities want the public's help in finding him.
The robbery happened around 4:15 p.m. on Aug. 23 at a grocery store in the 8000 block of West McNab Road.
Surveillance footage released by the Broward Sheriff's Office on Wednesday showed the woman walking into the store with her three kids when the man approached her from behind, grabbed her necklace and punched her before running from the scene.
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The footage showed the suspect arriving at the shopping plaza in a light-colored Nissan. He parked the car and followed the woman into the store, authorities said.
The attack happened in just seconds, the victim, Jessica Greer, told NBC 6 Wednesday.
"He was grabbing my neck, I grabbed his hand, and I just started swinging," Greer said. "It was time to go into fight or flight mode and mom was there and I did not let go of my daughter."
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Greer said that she hopes the suspect will be caught soon.
"He fell on top of my 3-year-old daughter, and thank God physically she is OK, but I just want to raise the most awareness I can for mothers to stay vigilant," Greer said. "It is not safe being a single mom going to a grocery store at four o’clock in the afternoon."
Greer also said the incident has changed her.
"I don’t know what this world has come to but it is very sad, you have to protect your children, you have to protect yourself at all costs," she said.
Officials are asking anyone with information on the robber's identity to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.
