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Subscribe to RSSAuthorities are on the lookout for a woman who forced an 84-year-old to empty her life savings from a bank account in Takoma Park, Md. WRC's Darcy Spencer has the story.
A robber used young children to help take advantage of an elderly woman in Montgomery County, Md., last week, according to police.
The 84-year-old victim said she was robbed of her life savings by a woman claiming she needed help cashing a check at a bank. The culprit approached the victim at Murry’s Steaks in Takoma Park about noon Thursday with two toddlers and an infant in tow. She said the children hadn’t eaten in days.
“That’s the only thing that stopped me, to help the children,” the victim said.
She agreed to drive the culprit to a Bank of America on New Hampshire Avenue in Langley Park. The children stayed behind with another woman.
For more, visit NBCWashington.com
Once in the car, the robber changed her story.
“She told the victim she had a gun and threatened to shoot the victim if the victim did not withdraw several thousand dollars,” police said.
Inside the bank, the culprit stood next to the victim as she made the transaction. Surveillance video showed the robber shoving the victim out the door after the transaction.
The victim was forced to drive back to Murry’s, where the robber left with the cash.
“I’m still scared,” the victim said Wednesday. “I keep looking around thinking they’re watching me, and that they will follow me home.”
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Might as well just say fire at will, I could not imagine losing all that money.
Sad very sad!! these people should go to jail for a long long long time!!
Sounds like it could have been the victims daughter. She probably needed some extra cash to pay for her crack stash.
I'm glad she got caught and photographed doing the crime.....it will cost her more than the money she stole to get through the mess she is in now.........good.........
They'd be disappointed... if they forced me to empty my bank account they'd only get around $400.
Desperate times call for desperate measures!
Note to the uneducated, high school drop outs, who can't find any job that pays more than minimum wage: DON'T HAVE CHILDREN IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD THEM! It is irresponsible of you! Make smart decisions. Get an education first. At least graduate high school. There are numerous statistics supporting the claim that those who wait until after 25 years of age to have kids, will have a much better life. From 15 - 24 years old, wear a condom. And yes this relates to this story. And yes I get that not everyone is irresponsible have multiple children with out a good career or education...... BUT MOST ARE NOT!!!!
GCK-WYO , you are right, society needs to become more sexually responsible in order to prevent the effects of poverty on children. When I hear news reports of how many children go to school hungry, I'm not thinking we need more social services, I'm thinking "it should be a crime to have more than one child in poverty"!
I'm also thinking that government should give earned income tax credits to people who DON'T have children. this would reward low income people for not burdening taxpayers.
I agree society does need to be more sexually responsible. However, sex is glorified on tv, in the movies and in video games. Kids see people having sex, in some form or another, everywhere. Yet, the religious right does everything they can to prevent sex education from being taught in the schools. Waiting till a child is in 7th or 8th grade to teach them a little sex ed does no good when children are maturing sexually at age 8 and 9 because of all the hormones they receive through the food we are fed daily. The right wants to close down every Planned Parenthood office because they think every one of them offers abortions which is far from the truth. Planned Parenthood offers affordable healthcare for women and men along with offering birth control and sexual wellness/treatments. The birth control, to my knowledge, except condoms, is not free. The client is charged on a sliding scale based on income. if the Right gets their way, there will be all the fewer places for women, in particular, to get health care which will push them to the ER instead. makes absolutely no sense at all. It is time to understand that if you don't want kids having sex, the kids need to be taught why they shouldn't have sex despite the glorification of it and if they still decide to have sex, then they need a way to protect themselves.
.....just in time for black history month
I feel Sorry for the 84 yr, old lady. My guess is that now she'll (the armed robber)get her three squares and a bed, and her kids in foster care might have a good chance to make a good life after this. I hope that they give her the maximum for this.
This minority will have plenty of BLEEDING heart LIBERALS to stand up for her, I have a drug addiction or I'm part of the 99% ers the 1% rich people are always hating on or maybe the GOLD standard, I have a mental condition !!!
84 years old??? Come on man, leave these old people alone already! ARGG!
Yea, it really ticks me off when people prey on the elderly, children or animals.
I hope this "mother" goes to jail for a very, very long time.
People who prey on the elderly should be executed immediately.
The blame will be passed on to her childhood problems, broken home, mental and physical abuse by her lovers and fathers of her children etc by smart defence lawyers and some nutty psychologists will say 'Amen'. This is how it is happening specially in the west. Blame is always shifted.
Pat- Externalizing responsibility keeps the violence cycle legitimate. It also mimizes the hard work and determination of those people that beat odds by making good choices in life.
Age aside..... this shouldn't happen to anybody.
Special place in hell for this robber...if the Tacoma Park, MD police don't get her, the Kharma police surely will.
when you find the b---h take her kids away from her and put her and her friend in jail until they are 84
There is the possibility that the children were not all hers. Maybe she borrowed one or more to appear more desperate.
If approached by someone asking for money for food, offer to buy them something to eat but don't give them money. I saw a woman approached by a middle-aged man asking for food in McDonald's one day. She didn't give him money, but she walked with him to the cash register and told him to order whatever he wanted to eat. I thought this was an excellent way to help someone truly in need without contributing money to buy alcohol or drugs. When the same thing happened to me at the same McDonald's a couple of years later, the guy got angry and insulted, claiming that I thought he was a drug addict. Enough said. I walked away without giving him a dime but with the peace of mind that I had tried to help if he truly needed food to eat. I also called the police to tell him that he was on his way across the street to panhandle at the local College Inn Italian Restaurant.
My son and I was approached by a man out side a walmart wanting money for food. I kept walking.. My son who is 13 said mom we should feed that poor man he is hungry. I said you're right... We ordered him a footlong sub sanwhich and drink. My son was so proud I stood back by the door and watched as he took the food to the man. He Spat at my son and through the food on the ground. My son was crushed and got a hard lesson on how people will lie to get a fast dollar. Unfortunately he does not look twice at people begging now. Can't say I blame him.
yeah that happened to me once in colorado springs, colorado. i didnt give him cash. i went inside burger king and bought him a whopper meal. do you know he got mad asking why i didnt get him a chicken grill sandwich and why couldnt i get it without the mayonase. imagine that. he was actually raising his voice, i grabbed it back and stomped on it. man, ungreatfull......
Yup Scales, first time I agreed to help I was a very poor single mom myself. I declined to give $ but took a yogurt out of my grocery bag and gave it to the young man. He looked at it and asked, "How am I supposed to eat it? Where's the spoon?" Ever so disgruntled I replied, "You could bend the lid or just drink it!" Years later, I saw an old man outside of a Trader Joe's standing next to his battered old bike. He wasn't crowding the door or approaching people. I bought an extra yogurt and gave it to him. He smiled beautifully, thanked me genuinely and said, "Oh! This is my favorite flavor, too!" There are jerks and simply down on their luck people in all walks of life.
OhJoy... thanks for sharing :)
I used to see a young man who was a panhandler standing near the driveby of a Taco Bell - always asked for some food, usually late every night. If I saw him, I'd buy him a burrito or something when going through and he always seemed grateful. I figured he was there every night, if I didn't see him, it just meant that someone had already fed him and he'd got what he needed. Often wondered what his story was.
The thing is, people in need are not different from any of us. Some of them are lairs and/or jerks and some of them are decent, honest people. This is human nature.
I make it a point to ask them can I buy you some food when I see hungry people. 90% of the time they are ever so grateful and tell me exactly what they want to eat. Nothing worse then buying something they can't eat due to having no teeth or sores in their mouths.
Giving someone money does not solve their problem, they even get robbed from other homeless people so that is not a solution. One time I came accross 4 homeless people and when I told them to follow me into the fast food joint, the manager of the fast food refused to let them in, when I told the manager they were with me and I was buying the meals and that they had a right to eat too and shame on him for throwing away any food each night when he knew these men slept around the corner! (ahh guilt its a beautiful thing! hehe) the manager felt so badly he gave each one a free meal coupon and told them if they came to the restuarant after 10:00 each night he would give them anything that he had to throw away!! Now when I see the 4 men and they are full almost nightly!
Guess what I am trying to say, don't let a few mean homeless people change your heart in feeding them. Let it be their shame NOT YOURS
KJSEEs...........try again with your son, my grandson gets the biggest most awesome smile on his face when he feeds someone. One bad experience should not follow your son for the rest of his days. Please try again, but this time, ask the person what they want. Super nice of you to try though, but please keep trying.
YouAre....most restaurant managers are extremely wary of handing out extra or time expired food to needy people or organizations for fear of being sued or found in violation of health laws. A lot of perfectly good food is thrown in dumpsters for this reason. Street wise homeless or jobless know this all too well and routinely dumpster dive to recover it. It's a rotten shame in our litigous country of plenty we have to be afraid of being sued (or robbed)for helping others.
It's not just the legal aspect. Those restaurant managers understandably don't want a large mob of homeless people filling their restaurant at 10pm every night looking for free food either.
GAdude and NavyVet.... I would agree there are tons of people closing their eyes due to fear, I think that is one of the biggest shames we have here in America, where doing the RIGHT thing is covered by fear of being sued. Shame on the ones that are in fear of homeless filling their restaurant for food they are throwing away.
All I know if you are ever in Huntington Beach California and need a meal "Hot off the Grill" will feed you. They are less afraid of being sued or having a ton of homeless show up, when the food is gone its gone and the homeless in the area know it.
Its funny how the "homeless" show so much respect when not treated like a slug. They even offer to wash his dishes in return. It does start with ONE to show how the village should live. Besides California has the volenteer law, it protects us. As for the food, tainted or not, the homesless can smell rotten food too. Serving rotten food defeats the purpose of his help by the way.. I know not all people are kind but while this one is....I say GREAT for him for not living in fear!
Sometimes I guess it is worth the risk, I would rather go to jail helping someone than watch a human suffer from being hungry. NO ONE SHOULD BE HUNGRY........NO ONE.
There is food at any soup kitchen or shelter. If you have no food apply for food stamps.
Not every town has a soup kitchen or shelter, and even in those that do, they fill up fast and run out of food because no one wants to donate anymore. As for foodstamps you have to have a permanent address to recieve them.
My heart goes out to the elderly woman. She didn't deserve that. That young woman should be ashame of herself. One day she will be old if God allow her to live that long. Hope the 84 year old woman received her money back.
We really need to go third world on people that commit crimes; removing her limbs would prevent her from ever doing this again, and save us all a boat load of time, money, and anguish.
Wow, unbelievable, she is a great example to her kids, whom she left behind, in order to commit crimes. Definitely should have her kids removed and given time, after paying back the money she stole from this poor woman, of course.
The kids were probably from another industrious thief who has a start-up business called...Rent-A-Kid.
Unbelievable!!! How can one live with themselves doing that to an old lady nonetheless with their kids. Karma is a b— — — _!!
That's just awful!
I've been approached before by people asking me to cash a check for them. I referred them to the nearest bank. I probably would have given her $5-$10 and moved on.
Hanging. Firing Squad. Electric Chair. Gas. Anybody who preys on the elderly like that needs to be treated accordingly. I guess Baby-Mama's EBT Card was running a little low. Description and Video of the Robber are out there on the net. I wonder why MSNBC has not included that information ?
Yes, this is scary. I am 76 and I was shopping alone in the drugstore when I had this feeling that someone or something was too close to me. I turned around and was face to face with a woman who said she was looking at the same thing i was. I got out of there pretty fast. She was waiting her chance to reach into my pocket and take my money. She had to know I had money on me because I quit carrying a purse long ago. Times are tough and there are some very bad people out there. I have since bought a small container of mace and I WILL USE IT! The policeman showed me how to use it so it won't blow back on me - wouldn't that be something? Old people need to be accompanied by another adult and I learned my lesson. I have my son take me everywhere and he stays with me. He is itching for someone to touch his Mother!
Trade that mace in for .38. Fits nicely in your pocket, great to have during ATM withdrawals.
Sad but true our children are not the only ones who need the buddy system. I hope this poor excuse for a human being was not the parent of any of the children and we all remember this. If someone needs help they should call a cop.
I certainly don't condone this behavior, but let's not be in denial about the kind of times we are living in...
The kind of times???? The kind of times??????? Never before have there been more freebies for those who are down and out. Never before ha there been so much public assistance.
In the Great Depression.........there was nothing. Nothing!
@Optomyst, I hate to rain on your parade, but unforturnately public assistance is sorely needed. Because of what the right wing capitalists did during the Cheney years, 32.5% of Americans live at or below the poverty line. (BBC America) I'm sorry to break it to you, but it is sometimes hard to see the "hard times" when you drive by the poor neighborhoods at 75 mph in your Audi or when you return home to your upper middle class home in your upper middle class neighborhood. When you live where I live, you tend to look at things a bit differently. This woman who committed this crime should be punished severely and should lose her children. However, when we live in these "kind of times" I am certain that we will see more and more of this type crime, unfortunatly. Perhaps instead of more public assistance we should redistribute wealth. It is ludicrious and immoral for individuals to horde money or resources when there is ANYONE who goes without. Here in Utah, in 2010 we had almost 7,600 people starve to death. FYI, a person must go 30-40 days with zero food to starve to death. Strictly morally speaking, it is wrong to allow anyone to become wealthy if there is even one person who is starving.
@Hendrix - I agree that These Times are shameful. But "redistributing the wealth" is NOT the answer. How much is too much? On the outside it looks like I'm "making it." On the other hand, I'm helping my 84 year old father survive, take in homeless friends by the score and still manage to barely pay my bills. Are you going to redistribute MY wealth cuz on the outside it looks like I'm doing "so well." Who decides how much is enough? too much? Are you following me to work, watching me pull over to puke cuz the pain is so bad? Am I not making a big enough attempt here?
Passed by a panhandler the other day and had to stop at the red light. All he would say was "nice car." - this guy was actually pissed off that I had a car payment!!!
I think that public assistance is part of what started this whole mess. "Why stop having children-welfare will feed them" turns into "Lets have more children - welfare will feed them." And call it what it is - Welfare, NOT Public Assistance
No don't take her kids from her. Do what they do in some other countries, send her kids to jail with her.
What? What the heck did her kids do to deserve living a life in jail??
These crooks make it very difficult to be open to helping people who legitimately need the help, and do not intend to rob anyone.
That being said, it is foolish for an elderly person to let a stranger into their car.
Excuse me? If you are not elderly, it's okay to let a stranger in your car? I don't think so. The days of picking up hitchhikers are long gone.
Just shoot the piece of @!$%# between the eyes then let her burn in hell!
we,the working people,give them welfare etc and still they steal....
What makes you think "them" was on welfare, Mary? Go ahead... say what you really mean.
Pedestrian..................I would be willing to put money they were on welfare but spent it all on crack and/or alcohol.
What "they" are you referring to? Thieves?
Why is it if the culprit is black the assumption is the people are on welfare, on crack, drugs, etc. If the thief had been white would people make these same assumptions. I'm black and I've never done a drug in my life, stolen anything from anyone, never been on welfare. Nor have my children.
I believe it is horrible what this woman has done, preying on the elderly. These children should be placed in a loving home, not jail and the woman should be jailed for however long, the law allows.
The fact that she is black shouldn't make people assume more about her. She is a woman of low character and morals because of what she did, not because she is black.
What the h&ll are you posting? Seriously, equating welfare recipients with criminal behavior is using a very broad brush. Why don't you post what you really think? You would be completely wrong, too...
LadyM4444, Relax, I don't think anyone was talking about race; the fact she used children to get close to the woman speaks volumes. I would say it would be easy to imagine this person spending the welfare money on crack. I was an addict once, I think I know a little about the situation. Fortunately, my folks made sure I learned right, so I never did anything that low. Doing drugs doesn't make you a bad person either. Being someone with non-existent values and morals makes you a bad person. I believe most everyone here is judging by action and not color; the comments would have been the same without a picture.....
I cant believe the audacity of some people. Whoever did that to that poor old woman is going to get what's coming to them one way or another. Karma is a good thing and I can honestly say I find what these people did to their victim(s) (plural if you include the children) Despicable. I pray for all the victims involved.
Unfortunately, another example of generational differences.
The 84 year old grew up in a time where everyone respected and trusted each other. Loved to help others in need.
The robber is from a later generation with no values at all.
That's a pretty ridiculous and generalized statement. There are crooks and @ssholes from all generations. I was born in 1980 and know right from wrong. I know compassion, etiquette and generosity. So will my 3 year old daughter. I don't know what generation you are from, but if I judged your whole generation based on your statement, I would not have a very good opinion of it. Fortunately, I do not operate that way. There are good and bad people from all walks of life and from all periods in time. That is a simple fact.
Scum of the earth! Someone will recognize her somewhere and she will be in prison. Her kids deserve better. If I saw her I would not hesitate to beat her down and then call the cops. She deserves that and more.
Be kind, never be stupid. If I'm ever that tear-eyed over the children I would still only give them $20 for them to find their own transport to the bank, but that would be as far as I go.
Remove this slug from the U.S. It's time to banish these types of drains on our society, they offer no value and are a waste of resources.
Find it and kill it. We don't need it.
You mean her welfare check couldnt cover all them kids? Time for her to make some more so we can all get robbed by her.
Find it and kill it. We don't need it.
As well as the many other violence-themed posts --cut off her limbs, etc.-- this makes you better than the thief how? I wouldn't trust my dog to the care of people who can make these kinds of remarks. Yes, what the woman did was despicable, but how about rising above her instead of sinking well below? Jail time and restitution should be adequate.
Your opinion. "Time out and payback" aren't enough. She needs to be taught a lesson. How do you expect the POS to pay the woman back? Tell you what, give her 5 years of hard time, and she can't leave jail until the woman is paid in full. That would be acceptable, and she may even learn something LIKE DON'T STEAL FROM OLD PEOPLE.
Enma
You cant rehabilitate someone like that, when she gets out she will do it again.
Well, she could always pay back this victim by finding another one. Sheesh enma, where do you think this woman is going to get the money for restitution? From a job??? Who is going to hire her with her criminal record?
this is what junkies do; they will stop at nothing and even kill to get their fix.
scumbag....give a lash for each dollar she stole...