An Oakland woman suspected of robbing and assaulting a 93-year-old man Tuesday outside a San Leandro convenience store was arrested and faces felony charges, police said.
San Leandro police were able to obtain clear video and identify a suspect in the robbery, committed around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday at the 7-Eleven store at 333 E14th St. in San Leandro, where the man and his wife had just purchased coffee.
The man told police he was holding his wallet when the couple exited the store and walked to their car, and that someone tried to wrest the wallet away from behind him, knocking him to the ground as his wife watched.
One of several bystanders outside the store helped the man up as a woman fled in a vehicle with the wallet.
Surveillance cameras captured clear video of the robbery and information about the vehicle used by the suspect and detectives on Wednesday morning located the occupied vehicle at the McDonald's on 98th Avenue in Oakland.
Police detained Carla Ashford, 48, of Oakland, and took her for questioning in San Leandro, where she admitted to taking the wallet after seeing the victim with cash in his hands.
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"This is a disturbing video to watch," San Leandro police Lt. Isaac Benabou said in a news release. "It's heartbreaking to know that there are people out there that have no hesitation to commit such an act against a frail, defenseless person. We know that crimes happen, but with this suspect, there are no barriers."
Ashford was booked on felony charges that include robbery and elder abuse and is being held at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, with the case to be presented to the Alameda County District Attorney's office Friday.
