Police in Southern California announced Thursday they arrested a suspect after an 81-year-old woman was carjacked while handing out food to the homeless community.
The attack took place in the parking lot of a supermarket about 10 miles southeast of San Bernardino on Monday, the Redland Police Department reported.
Police said the woman had been handing out meals around Redland on Monday and ended up at the market. As the woman finished up feeding three unhoused men, another man approached her as she stood behind her silver 2015 silver Kia Sportage with the trunk open.
The carjacking, caught on video, shows the suspected carjacker scuffle with her, forcefully grab her keys and jump in the driver’s seat of the vehicle.
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The video shows three unidentified people attempting to rush to the woman’s aid after she is knocked to the ground by the SUV as the carjacking suspect speed off out of the market parking lot.
She was not seriously injured, police reported.
On Thursday, Redland police announced they arrested 24-year-old Roberto Carlos Sanchez Jr. after Los Angeles Police spotted the stolen SUV in a parking structure in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday night.
Police said they found Sanchez Jr. in the driver’s seat of the Kia with the keys in his possession. LAPD arrested Sanchez, charged him with possession of a stolen vehicle, and contacted Redlands Police.
He was transported to a San Bernardino jail where he was being held in lieu of $250,000 bail on additional charges of carjacking and elder abuse.
The victim told CBS News that the carjacking would not stop her from continuing to help those in need.
Natalie Neysa Alund covers trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.
