Violent thieves target shoppers

Victims are mostly women; two teens arrested

Some of the women were peppersprayed and robbed as they loaded groceries into their cars. Two were followed home and their cars stolen. Two were punched in the head.

Ten times in a week, beginning Jan. 15, people were preyed on in shopping center parking lots in Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Most of the victims were women ambushed after dark. Four cases were reported in Boca Raton and the others in Plantation, Dania Beach and Fort Lauderdale.

Broward County authorities described a violent crew that beat shoppers and sprayed their eyes with a chemical while stealing purses, electronics and sometimes cars. Four of the incidents occurred in Plantation.

“We don’t normally get robberies of this nature,” Plantation Detective Philip Toman said Tuesday.

Police do not think the Boca Raton incidents are related to the others, and they think the Plantation attacks will end with the arrest of two teenagers this week.

Detectives from the Broward Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals on Monday arrested Erica Makayla Abraham of Fort Lauderdale, a high school senior who turned 18 on Jan. 15. She was arrested in Oakland Park on a warrant from Plantation police, charged in an assault on a 73-year-old woman.

At 8:45 p.m. Jan. 18, the woman drove from a Publix at 6921 W. Broward Blvd. in Plantation to her gated community at Northwest 69th Avenue and West Broward

Boulevard, police said.

A black Nissan hit the rear of her car. When she got out to check for damage, a man and woman accosted and pepper-sprayed her, police said.

Her purse, containing about $1,500 and credit cards and her Hyundai sedan were stolen. The car was recovered.

Abraham was arrested after suspects used that victim’s credit card at a Pollo Tropical drive-thru, where a server recognized Abraham as a former high school classmate, according to court documents.

A 16-year-old girl also was arrested. Plantation police have not released her identity.

“There are more charges to come and another suspect we need to make contact with,” Toman said.

The victim last week described herself as feeling “terrified.” Most other victims declined to describe their experiences or could not be reached, although one said she was shocked by the “violent and chaotic attack.” About 3:15 p.m. Jan. 17, she and another woman were leaving a restaurant in a shopping center at 1823 N. Pine Island Rd. when a black Nissan struck one in the thigh. A man got out of the Nissan and punched one woman in the head; two women got out of the car and attacked the other woman, according to Toman.

A week later, the victim said she still gets headaches from blows to her head and face.

“Things have changed as far as how I go out in public areas, which is terrible,” she said. The confrontation happened while she was distracted, on her cellphone. “I was on my phone with my office and my assistant heard the whole thing.”

She said she’s going to take a self-defense class.

Abraham, the arrested teenager, faces charges of carjacking without a firearm or weapon, robbery by sudden snatching and aggravated battery on a person over 65. The 16-year-old girl is accused of the same offenses and is in a jail for juveniles, Toman said.

Prosecutor Eric Linder said during Abraham’s court hearing Tuesday, “She has a very significant juvenile record involving multiple offenses that are similar or related to these allegations.”

Broward County Judge Michael Davis ordered Abraham held on a $250,000 bond.

Eight of the 10 cases occurred in Publix parking lots, police said. The supermarket chain said it is cooperating with Plantation and Boca Raton police in their investigations.

“Customer and associate safety is a top priority for us at Publix,” a spokeswoman said in an email.

In Boca Raton, a 76-year-old woman had just put her groceries into her car outside a Publix at 4141 N. Federal Highway and was driving away about 8 p.m. Jan. 20. A woman opened her passenger door and stole her purse, which contained keys, cash, credit and debit cards, and a cellphone before leaving in a maroon vehicle, Boca Raton police said.

Two hours later, at a Publix at 1001 S. Federal Highway, a woman had loaded her groceries into her car when a woman stole her Coach handbag from her shopping cart. It held credit and debit cards, an iPhone, identification, cash and keys. That suspect left in a maroon SUV, according to Boca Raton police, who believe the two thefts are related.

A 44-year-old woman then was robbed about 11:30 p.m. as she left a restaurant at Boca Center, 5250 Town Center Circle. She was getting into her 2008 blue Bentley convertible when a man opened the passenger door, got in and ordered her out before driving off. The car was recovered in Broward County, Boca Raton police said.

About 9:30 p.m Sunday, a man about 5 feet 6 inches tall wearing a ski mask and dark clothing aimed a silver and black handgun at the 72-year-old owner of a 2016 red Mazda sedan, police said. The victim was at a Publix at 1339 W. Palmetto Park Road. When asked for the car keys, the owner got out and walked away and the gunman left without taking anything. Police do not believe the case is related to the earlier carjacking.

Plantation police ask anyone with information to call 954-797-2100 or Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477. That organization will accept anonymous tips and pay up to $3,000 for information that leads to an arrest. The Broward Sheriff’s Office says tips may also be reported at 954-764-4357.

Palm Beach County Crime Stoppers can be reached at 800-458-8477.

Abraham