A 75-year-old woman walking through the parking lot of Walmart in Antioch was injured after being knocked to the ground and dragged during a robbery Wednesday, police said.
The Antioch Police Department responded around 3:05 p.m. Wednesday to the Walmart, 475 East Route 173, for a report of two robberies in the parking lot.
Officers located the first victim, a 45-year-old woman, who told police that she was loading groceries into her vehicle when a gray 2013 Honda Civic drove towards her and almost struck her and her vehicle, Antioch Police Sgt. Charles Smith said.
A male black passenger got out and grabbed her purse from her shopping cart before getting back in the Honda.
The second victim, a 75-year-old woman, was walking through the parking lot when a different male black attempted to grab her purse, Smith said. A struggle ensued and the victim was knocked to the ground and dragged.
A bystander heard her yells for help and intervened. As the bystander approached, the man let go of the purse and ran away to the Honda, which sped off, Smith said. The 75-year-old woman sustained a laceration to her head and was transported to an area hospital.
The offender in the first robbery was described as a short male black, 18-20 years old, thin build, wearing a grey sweatshirt. The second offender was described as male black in his late teens.
A witness provided police with the license plate of the Honda, which had been reported as stolen. The vehicle was last seen fleeing northbound on Deep Lake Road.
Antioch police said they are aware of similar robberies at Walmarts in Lake County and Kenosha County, Wisconsin.
One of those similar robberies occurred at the Walmart in Zion on Thursday when a man tried to steal a woman’s purse from her grocery cart in the parking lot.
Anyone who witnessed the robberies or has information about the suspects is asked to call the Antioch Police Department at 847-395-8585.