Crooks stole her purse on Black Friday, but this 74-year-old fought back

PEARL CITY, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - An elderly woman is recovering from her injuries after a brazen Black Friday robbery.

At around 2 p.m. on the 2nd floor of the Pearl City Sam’s Club parking structure, 74-year-old Charlotte Ahlf says she was putting the Christmas wreath she just bought into the trunk of her car when she says she noticed someone over her shoulder.

"Out of the corner of my eye, I saw this shadow move past me and grab my bag from the wagon," said Alhf. "I think he thought I would stand on a corner and cry. I didn't."

Ahlf says she held onto her purse as the man pulled her towards a large Black SUV, where his female accomplice was waiting with the car running.

Still clutching onto her bag while hanging halfway out of the thief's vehicle, Ahlf says she then heard the car start to accelerate.

"She took off and I got dragged a little bit on my face. I could've been under the car and not on the side," Ahlf said.

Kula Manu Jones says she had just parked her car nearby when she heard someone screaming.

"I saw (Ahlf) fall and the SUV pull away really fast," said Jones. "I went over there and she was sitting up bloody. People were pulling sweaters and towels out of their cars to try and help her control the bleeding. When the ambulance came, I offered to go with her because she was by herself."

Banged up and bleeding in the brain, Ahlf was taken to the ICU at Kaiser Permanente's Moanalua Medical Center.

"I have two areas that I'm bleeding. My lip got cut, my tooth got chipped on the road, I got stitches on my bottom lip. It was a mess," said Ahlf.

Ahlf is urging people, especially the elderly, to be aware of their surroundings, especially when they're alone.

"Be very aware because we're targets. Easy fish for them," she said.

She says this experience has not scared her out of being independent, but she says she gets angry thinking about it.

"Why people think they can just take it? Go to work like I did," she said.

Meanwhile, a special bond has formed between Ahlf and the good samaritan who came to her rescue.

The two women -- 47 years apart in age -- now consider each other family.

"Kula is an angel for us. And it made me feel that sometimes when bad things happen you think oh my goodness it's curse, but then you get a contradiction sign and that is not a curse. To have her is worth more," Ahlf said.

"She's awesome. I love her. I made a new best friend," said Jones.

If you have any information about the robbery or the suspects, please call police.

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