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Lauderdale Lakes Purse Snatching Caught On Camera

LAUDERDALE LAKES (CBSMiami) – A violent purse snatching was caught on camera at a Lauderdale Lakes condo. Now the Broward Sheriff's Office has released images from the security tape in hopes that somebody recognizes the guy and gives police a call.

It happened Saturday, June 16th, just before 1 p.m.

Arms loaded with groceries, 65-year old Barbara Ann Nadeau was returning home to her Cypress Chase condo, in the 3400 block of NW 48th Avenue, when she was attacked by a man in front of the lobby elevator.

On the tape the unidentified man, dressed in a light gray tank top and black shorts, looks as if he was going to pass Nadeau in the lobby when he suddenly reaches out and grabs her purse.  Nadeau, whose body was whipped around when her purse was snatched, falls to the ground as the man runs down the hallway and out of the building.

"All of a sudden, just came along side of me, yanked my purse and just threw me to the ground," said Barbara Nadeau, describing the Saturday attack at her Hawaiian Gardens Condo.

The senior citizen ended up sprawled on the ground while the robber took off running with her purse.

"My hand was bruised here" she showed CBS4's Ted Scouten. "But it's better and my wrist was hurting, my thumb was hurting I was bruised on my elbow here and then my back, there was a big bruise on my back."

Nadeau said she is feeling lucky right now she was not more seriously injured.  But she certainly is scared.

"I just keep looking over my shoulder when I leave the house especially," said said. "I just thought this can't be happening to me.  But it did, it was very scary."

Barbara's husband Nate was at home when it happened, three floors up.  Even though he has medical problems, when he found out, he took after running – hoping to see the guy who roughed up and scared the love of his life.

"There's a couple things I've always said in my life, don't touch my car and don't touch my lady!" Nate said.  "I told the cops, 'if you catch him, just leave him with me for 30 minutes, 30 seconds,' I says... 'I'm that kind of a person.'

The sheriff's office said the man they are looking for is in his early 20's, about 5'7" tall with a thin build and "fluffy" hair or possibly short dreads."

Anyone with information about the man is asked to call BSO Robbery Det. Armando Enrique at (954) 321-4270 or Broward Crime Stoppers (954) 493-TIPS (8477).

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