EXCLUSIVE: Vicious Purse Snatch At SEPTA Station Caught On Tape
By Walt Hunter
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Yet another violent purse snatcher stalks and attacks his victim -- and it's all caught on tape.
Fortunately, this robbery, unlike other recent crimes, did not end in deadly violence.
Investigative reporter Walt Hunter has the video you'll see only on Eyewitness News.
Video shows as the victim, whose identity were concealing, enters the subway, the purse snatcher is closing in.
And, as she gets to the bottom of the steps, he attacks.
"When I see video like this, it makes my heart stop," SEPTA Police Chief Tom Nestel said.
SEPTA Police Chief Tom Nestel says as the 27-year-old is pushed to the ground, her purse ripped away, the entire vicious attack taking only seconds.
"Basically, he tackles her, takes her down, and then races off," Chief Nestel said.
Fortunately, the victim did not suffer any serious injuries, but that has not always been the case in recent attacks like this one.
On Saturday, these demonstrators protested robbery attacks on women, which left one victim dead at 53rd and Market Streets (See Related Story) and, back on January 19th, video showing two purse snatchers robbing, then murdering 26-year-old Amber Long at her mother's side in Northern Liberties (See Related Story).
"This type of crime is rare for us," Chief Nestel said.
Chief Nestel says attacks like this do not occur frequently on SEPTA and he praised the victim for not fighting back.
"She did the smart thing, distance yourself, go to the cashiers booth, she did everything right," he said.
Nestel promising his investigators would do all they could to bring the attacker to justice.
