Police seek man who beat elderly woman in West Philadelphia

By Mike Newall, Inquirer Staff Writer

Posted: August 05, 2012

Police are searching for the unidentified man who robbed and beat an elderly woman after following her from a West Philadelphia convenience store.

The brazen daylight attack occurred just before 9 a.m. Friday, after the 66-year-old woman used a cash machine at the Lucky Food Market at 57th and Arch Streets, Lt. John Walker of Southwest Detectives said.

The attacker, described as a black man about 35 years old, wearing a dark shirt and shorts and carrying a hooded sweatshirt over his shoulder, followed the woman into the store and watched her as she used the ATM, Walker said.

Waiting outside, the man, who was about 6-foot-2, followed the 5-foot-4 woman for about a block, then came up behind, yelling, "Give me the money!" Walker said.

The woman tried to fend off the man, who repeatedly punched her in the face, blackening her eyes and knocking her unconscious, Walker said. "At her age and his size, he quickly overpowers her but then continues on beating her savagely," Walker said. "She's 66 and, like most grandparents, a little feisty, but she was no match" for the attacker, he said.

The attacker fled with the woman's ATM card and a small cigarette purse.

The woman held on to her money, Walker said.

With her eyes swollen shut, the woman was treated for multiple facial fractures Friday at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and released.

Police are expected to release surveillance footage of the attacker Monday, Walker said.

Contact Mike Newall at 215-854-2759 or mnewall@phillynews.com.