Elderly woman attacked, robbed at Seattle dentist's office: 'She was saying, help, help!'



SEATTLE -- Seattle Police are asking for the public's help in identifying two young men who attacked and robbed a 70-year-old woman inside a dentist's office on Rainier Avenue South.

In the video, recorded just before 3 P.m. on October 22, two suspects walk up to the office. One young man held the front door open. Police believe he was acting as a lookout. The second suspect entered the office, approached a 70-year-old woman in the lobby.

"The guy comes in and lunges at her and grabs her throat and he's trying to pull the necklace off of her," said Faye Wong, who watched as her mother was attacked.

Her mother was at the office visiting Wong, who works there.

"She was saying, 'help, help!'" said Wong, who ran around the corner and jumped on the suspect's back.

"He did this motion and it just threw me off of my feet."

She suffered a skinned knee, bruised arms and a bloody nose.

The suspect got away with part of the gold chain but not the whole necklace.

"It was so bold and brazen for them to come in and violate this place and violate my mom and attack her in that manner. We were pretty shocked about it," said Wong.

Detectives say suspects in a series of robberies in south Seattle are stealing jewelry right off the necks and hands of victims. Over the last two months, police have received numerous reports of suspects snatching valuable necklaces, jewelry, wallets and cellphones from victims in  Rainier Valley and Beacon Hill. Officers have arrested suspects in several recent robberies in the South Precinct, but these crimes have continued.

Both suspects in the attack at the dentist's office are described as slim and black. One was wearing a red hoodie with distinctive white lettering on the sleeve. The other had on a black North Face jacket. If you can identify them, Crime Stoppers will pay you a cash reward of up to $1,000. Call the hotline anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).