A woman was asked for help with a flat tire, then her purse was snatched

A 34-year-old woman told Myrtle Beach police she tried to get her purse back from the woman who snatched it from her in a store parking lot, but she hit her with it and took off in a vehicle.

Officers were called about 8:30 p.m. Friday to the Mexico Super Store at 1520 U.S. 501 where they met with the victim, who told them she was at the store with her children when she was approached by a woman asking for help with a flat tire, according to a police report.

The victim told police she started searching her trunk for tools to help the woman and that’s when the woman snatched the victim’s purse from off her shoulder, police said.

The victim said she tried to get her purse back, but the suspect hit her in the arm with it before fleeing the area in a vehicle, heading east on U.S. 501.

The victim told police about $180 cash was inside her purse when it was taken. Police said they watched surveillance of the incident, which matched the victim’s statement.

This story was originally published July 15, 2017 at 7:55 AM with the headline "A woman was asked for help with a flat tire, then her purse was snatched."