Armed Robbery in St. Pete Mall Parking Lot

St. Petersburg, Fla. (970 WFLA) - An armed robber followed a Thanksgiving day shopper to her car in a mall parking lot and stole her purse after shooting out her car window, St. Petersburg Police said.

It happened at 9:25 p.m. at Tyrone Square Mall, when a 51-year-old woman walking to her car noticed a man following her, according to a news release. She rushed to get into her car and lock the door, but the man fired a gunshot into the car that shattered the driver's side window, then reached in and grabbed her purse.

He took off in a waiting Saturn, which police recovered shortly afterwards at 9th Ave. South and 44th St. South. It had been reported stolen in the last week. Detectives are investigating and viewing all available surveillance video from the area, the news release said.

There were officers and mall security guards on the property, in the immediate area patrolling at the time. Today and throughout the week-end, the police department will increase the number of police officers  in all areas of the parking lot as well as inside the mall.



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