Surveillance video shows an Ocoee woman getting thrown to the ground when a group of men try to rob her. You can clearly see one person attempting to rip the purse right off the woman’s arm.
“When I realized what’s happening, I thought ‘oh my God. I’m being robbed.’ I struggled,” said Sandra Jeter.
The attack happened March 22 at the Orlando Premium Outlet Mall on International Drive.
Jeter showed us the purse she managed to hold onto when three men pulled up in a grey car in the parking lot near the Neiman Marcus Last Call outlet store and attacked.
“He came out of nowhere,” recalled Jeter.
That Sunday morning, the car came pretty close to Jeter, a prominent real estate professional in Central Florida, with a star-studded client list she said includes athletes like Shaquille O’Neal.
In this just-released surveillance video, you see her briefly look in the car that pulled in her path.
“He just stared at me as if he knew me, as if he was going to ask me a question,” Jeter said.
She believes this was partly the group’s strategy: stunning her just long enough to get their hands on her belongings.
“This is what they do right before they snatch your purse. I had no idea what was about to happen,” said Jeter.
The attempted robbery took place in broad daylight. It happed on a Sunday morning. The man lunged out of the front passenger side window for her purse.
Jeter struggled. She held the purse tightly in the crease of her arm by her elbow and pulled away from the man.
“When I started screaming, it spooked them and the guy in the back seat started saying ‘go go go’,” Jeter said.
Jeter fell to the ground when they took off, a little scuffed up but no major injuries.
“I keep reliving it and seeing this young man’s face. What were you thinking? Why would you do that?” Jeter asked.
She jokingly said she won’t be carrying a big purse anymore, but she’s hoping her description of the man to police will help keep him and his associates from attempting to hurt or steal from anyone else.