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69-year-old woman dragged by car while trying to stop robbery
KTVUs Henry Lee reports on a robbery in Alameda that left a woman bloodied and with head injuries.
ALAMEDA, Calif. - A 69-year-old woman who was dragged by a robber's car in Alameda said Monday that she would do it all over again.
"For me, to fight all the way to the end, I feel good about it," the woman, who requested anonymity, told KTVU.
Surveillance video shows the robber taking off in his car, dragging the woman on the street before she's knocked to the ground.
"She reached into the vehicle, and as he was driving off, he drug her a short distance," said Alameda Police Chief Nishant Joshi.
The incident happened on Broadway, near the lagoon between Otis and Shore Line Drives at about 3 p.m. Sunday.
The woman was having a snack and was on the phone in her parked red Ford Mustang when a white car pulled up behind her.
The man walked up to the passenger side of her car, grabbed her purse, and ran back to his car. The woman gave chase, confronted the robber, and was dragged when the robber took off in his car.
The victim said she wasn't worried about her purse, but rather her expensive Gucci prescription glasses.
"That was what pushed me to go after him, because I want(ed) my glasses," she said. "I cannot see without glasses."
She didn't think twice about taking action.
"I’m pissed off because this guy was looking for somebody, and I feel violated," she said. "I feel violated, but I feel good because I put (up) a fight."
She put up a fight, but she paid a price: she suffered head injuries and was bloodied. The video, captured by Bach Ha, shows her getting up and staggering around.
"When he drove off, I think it caused her to basically just crash into the ground, and when she got up, she was like dazed," Ha said.
Chief Joshi says victims should not engage or chase after their attackers.
"Personal items can be replaced, but personal safety, that’s something that we never want to compromise," Joshi said. "My heart goes out to her. I think the natural instinct or inclination is to go try to get your property back. But there’s a lot of risks that come with that. And in this case, she was injured."
Residents say they're shocked by what happened.
"I’m very concerned and unfortunately, people react without knowing they’re reacting," said Flavia Krasilchik.
Henry Lee is a KTVU crime reporter. E-mail Henry at Henry.Lee@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @henrykleeKTVU and facebook.com/henrykleefan.