Elderly woman attacked and robbed of her lottery winnings
Tavarez Fleury faces charges of robbery and battery on a person 65 or older
An elderly woman who had just claimed her lottery winnings from a convenience store in Florida was “violently robbed” in an attack that was caught on camera.
It happened just after 8 a.m. on Wednesday outside the Buddy’s Food and Lotto in Orlando, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
According to surveillance footage outside the store, the victim – an 83-year-old woman — had just received her lotto winnings and was trying to get into her car when she was approached by a man who attempted to grab the envelope of cash from her hand.
The video then shows another man rushing from the store to help the woman as she and the suspect struggled on the ground when she tried to defend herself.
After slamming the victim down, the suspect fled with her case, the sheriff’s office said.
Authorities posted the harrowing video footage on social media in an attempt to identify and track down the suspect.
“Surveillance footage captured the suspect, and deputies believe he is Diego Stalin Tavarez Fleury,” announced sheriff’s officials.
A manhunt was launched and Fleury was arrested the next day. He faces charges of robbery and battery on a person 65 or older.
Ae Sun Lee, who has worked at Buddy’s Food and Lotto for more than a decade, told Click Orlando that Fleury is known to frequent the area, but that he is not a regular customer.
“He’s a troublemaker,” she said.
“He just hangs outside. I remember my manager giving him a trespass notice years ago, but they still come back. They don’t care.”
She also said she knows the victim, who police have not named.
“She’s a regular customer,” Lee said.
“I’ve known her for over 10 years. She’s a very nice lady and talks to everybody. Everybody is her friend.”