Footage has captured the shocking moment an elderly woman was mugged by a callous thief who fled the scene while she tried desperately to cling on to the getaway vehicle.
The pensioner was left lying in the middle of the road on Hillview Avenue in Broxburn, West Lothian, screaming for help after the fiend sped off. Police Scotland have launched a probe into the sickening robbery, which occured shortly after 12.30pm on Saturday.
A video, believed to be from a doorbell camera, caught the shocking theft and the aftermath, as the lady was thrown to the ground by the force of the speeding car.
Before he launches the cruel attack, the male thief can be seen pulling into a parking bay on the road while the woman walks up the street. He exits his motor, a white Hyundai with a black roof, and approaches his unsuspecting victim.
He appears to be holding paper in his hand while he begins to speak to her. But as soon as he is close enough, he lunges forward and grabs the woman's belongings, wrenching them from her hand.
She can be heard screaming as the thug races back to his car and tries to make his getaway. The woman makes a desperate attempt to stop him and opens the passenger door to try and take back her possessions.
The vile crook quickly pulls away as the woman is still holding onto the car. She is knocked to the ground by the impact and a large thud can be heard when she lands as she continues to scream in horror, while her attacker speeds away from the scene.
The woman begins to stand up and shouts for help. She walks into the road and is able to flag down a DPD driver, who stops his van to assist her.
Police Scotland confirmed they attended a report of a robbery on the street and said enquiries were ongoing. It is understood the woman was not seriously injured in the incident.
A spokesperson for the force said: "Around 12.35pm on Sunday, 7 August, 2022, officers were called to a report of a robbery on Hillview Avenue, Broxburn.
"There were no reports of injuries and enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances."
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