A 91-year-old woman was the victim of an alleged strong-armed robbery Wednesday on her way to play cards at the East Madison Neighborhood Center, according to police.
Around 5:20 p.m., police said the Madison woman pulled her car into a parking space near the front of the community center. While she was exiting, her feet had barely touched the ground when a black male reached for her purse.
According to a police report, the woman pulled the handbag's strap in an attempt to maintain her possessions and started yelling for help. However, the strap cut her finger and the man broke free and fled with the bag.
The woman told police the purse contained her whole life,"" including an address book and old family photos.
Although the neighborhood center's staff scoured the area for the man, police have yet to locate a suspect.
They said it remains unknown whether this incident is related to a string of similar strong-armed robberies that have occurred in the downtown area this month.
