VIDEO: Elderly couple robbed, attacked in Lynnwood, WA parking lot

Lynnwood police release video of violent robbery targeting elderly couple

Two suspects are facing charges after a violent parking lot robbery in Lynnwood left an elderly woman with a broken vertebra. Authorities say the attack is part of a massive organized crime trend involving more than 170 similar incidents across Western Washington targeting elderly members of the Asian community.

LYNNWOOD, Wash. - A Romanian couple was arrested and faces robbery charges for multiple incidents across the Puget Sound region, targeting elderly couples' jewelry.

The backstory:

Police connected the couple to two incidents in Lynnwood and another in Bellevue before eventually arresting them at their home.

The incidents are believed to be part of a violent, organized robbery trend where Romanian nationals target elderly, primarily Asian victims, in parking lots. They approach the victims under the guise of prayer, asking for directions, or offering jewelry before forcibly stealing their necklaces and other valuables. 

Lynnwood police released video of a robbery at an H-Mart, where a man is seen getting out of his car, opening the driver's side door of a car parked in the handicap spot, and stealing an $80,000 watch from an elderly man by pulling it off his wrist.

The suspect then gets back in the car, but is confronted by an elderly woman, who was able to get the watch back. However, one suspect kicks her, causing the victim to fall to the ground and hit her head against the pavement.

The car then reverses away from the scene. Both victims later went to the hospital, where the elderly woman suffered a fractured L2 vertebrae on her back.

Through coordination with Bellevue Police, Lynnwood PD were able to tie the suspects to two other robberies, also targeting elderly people in parking lots.

Police tracked down their vehicle, which turned out to be a Turo rental car. The male suspect was observed on video returning the car to SeaTac on Dec. 15.

Eventually, police were able to track them down to a Bellevue residence, where they were arrested for first-degree robbery charges. Police said the female suspect had $80,000 cash stuffed inside two socks in her purse upon her arrest.

Lynnwood Police said the suspects are believed to be part of a transnational criminal organization and are likely responsible for several other similar robberies. The male suspect had a warrant out of Georgia for "robbery by sudden snatching."

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