CASSELBERRY, Fla. – A 76-year-old woman who was robbed and knocked to the ground last week in a Casselberry parking lot just had one question: Why?
“I’m old. I’m 76 years old,” Melija Alla, the victim whose purse was snatched in the violent robbery, told News 6 on Friday. “Why?”
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We spoke to Alla a day after police said they arrested the suspected thief, Brycen Williams.
She showed us the cuts and bruises on her hands and arm after she was forced to the ground during the robbery. Alla, who is from Albania, described it as “terrible.”
Alla said she went to the iDevice Repair at 2525 Howell Branch Road around 6:45 p.m. on Dec. 30 to purchase a new phone case. Surveillance video from the business shows her exit the store.
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Shortly after, a man is seen running toward her, appearing to take her purse. After an unsuccessful first attempt, the video shows the man turn around and come back toward Alla, this time grabbing her bag and forcing her to the ground.
News 6 spoke to the shop owner, Jeremy Elizondo, who said he did not see the incident, but did hear the woman scream.
“When I heard her, I was like, ‘This has to be the lady that was just here,’” Elizondo said.
He said both Alla and the suspect had been inside the store for a brief amount of time. He believes he followed her out and left his own phone behind.
An arrest affidavit shows Williams was at the store to get his phone repaired. He told the shop owner he was unable to pay for the repair at that time and left, according to the report.
Later, Elizondo heard a woman scream and then saw the victim come back into the store bleeding. Police said a purse was found near a dumpster shortly after with the woman’s bank card and food stamps missing.
Officers later released pictures and videos to get the word out to the community, hoping someone would identify the suspect, who was arrested after detectives said someone who knew him turned him in.
“We had some leads, but they were going to take time to develop,” said William Nas with the Casselberry Police Department. “It’s great when the news, citizens and police all work in partnership. In this case, it worked as it’s designed. Someone did give us a tip and we’re grateful for that tip.”
The department thanked the community for helping solve the case quickly.
“We definitely wanted to get justice for the victim and make sure he was off the street,” Nas said.
Alla told News 6 she is thankful the suspected thief is behind bars.
“Now I’m good. Thanks God, God bless America, God bless police. (They) help me very, very much,” she said.
Williams faced a judge Friday at the jail in Sanford, where he faces charges of robbery, theft and battery.
He is expected back in court for an arraignment in February and is being held at the jail on a $21,000 bond.
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