Strong arm robbery victim seeks police and public help in Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - A victim in a strong arm robbery does not want her case to disappear into a file. Anita Garcia says someone knows who did it and wants those responsible for the holiday theft of her wallet inside a department store, caught.

She was checking out at the Ross Dress For Less store in Santa Barbara on December 27, when the crime took place. Garcia says a man was hovering around the check out lines at the time. When she pulled out her wallet he took it and ran.

Outside, she chased him and says the suspect hit her in the face, knocking her to the ground. She was cut, bleeding and required medical attention at the scene.

The getaway vehicle was seen speeding nearby into a Chick-fil-A where it was abandoned. Four people reportedly ran from the area and into a neighborhood.

Police actively searched for the suspects but they were not found. The vehicle, a gold Mercedes sedan was impounded as evidence.

Garcia says the cash in her wallet was for her trip to see her family in Mexico, and other holiday costs.

Santa Barbara Police have met with Garcia, and are working on information they obtained the night of the crime including surveillance video at the scene and nearby. She says she has met with police and is hoping to have another update soon.

Garcia says she was in Ross to do shopping and meet someone who was to sell her some products from an online communication she had. She chose Ross because it was a public place for the transaction. Garcia is unclear if the person she was there to meet and the suspect were connected but she has suspicions.

(More details on this story and video will be posted later today)