Video: 65-year-old woman robbed, St. Pete police searching for suspect

The St. Petersburg Police Department released surveillance video showing a man approaching a 65-year-old woman moments before investigators say he attacked and robbed her.

Surveillance video

The backstory:

According to SPPD, the victim was walking near the intersection of 17th Ave. SE and Bay St. around shortly after 2 p.m. Monday when the man in the video turned around and approached her.

St. Pete police are searching for a man who they say robbed a 65-year-old woman on Monday. (Courtesy: St. Pete Police Dept.)

St. Pete police are searching for a man who they say robbed a 65-year-old woman on Monday. (Courtesy: St. Pete Police Dept.)

The video shows the man continuing to follow the woman before standing in front of her, at which point the portion of the video released by police cuts off.

St. Pete police are searching for a man who they say robbed a 65-year-old woman on Monday. (Courtesy: St. Pete Police Dept.)

St. Pete police are searching for a man who they say robbed a 65-year-old woman on Monday. (Courtesy: St. Pete Police Dept.)

Police say the suspect then grabbed the victim, punched her in the stomach and cut her arm before sticking her ring finger in his mouth to remove the rings she was wearing.

"It was random. He just saw her and decided she might be easy prey because she was older, and she resisted somewhat, and he didn't like that," said SPPD spokesperson Yolanda Fernandez.

What they're saying:

Donna Costereva has lived in the neighborhood for the past 45 years. 

"I'm not really squeamish, but it was horrible what someone could do to another person in broad daylight," she said. 

She said some of her neighbors have been too scared to leave their homes since the incident. 

"'Oh! Don't come to my house. Don't come to the block again sir. And he will be caught," Costereva said. 

Fernandez said SPPD has extra patrols in the area until the suspect is caught. 

"Certainly, we want to get her rings back to her. But more importantly, we want to keep him from attacking someone else," Fernandez said. 

Suspect search

What we know:

Police describe the suspect as 30–35 years old and 5'9" tall with a full beard and a short afro. He was wearing a black T-shirt and black pants.

What we don't know:

The suspect has not been identified as of Tuesday afternoon.

What you can do:

Anyone with information about the robbery is urged to contact SPPD by calling 727-893-7780 or texting your tip to TIP411.

The Source: This story was written using surveillance video and information provided by the St. Petersburg Police Department.

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