Lake Placid Woman Mugged, Car Stolen
POLICE LOOKING
FOR ASSAILANT

By JOE SEELIG

LAKE PLACID — Police were searching Thursday for a man who dragged a Lake Placid woman to the ground, demanded her car keys and stole her black 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser outside of Century 21 Compton Realty near Wendy’s restaurant.

The 61-year-old female victim was arriving at about 7 p.m. Wednesday to help clean the realty office, located at 518 U.S. 27 S., when the carjacking took place, said Lake Placid Police Chief Phil Williams on Thursday.

There were some people inside, but they did not see anything.

The attacker was described as white, in his 20s, wearing a light colored shirt, Williams said. He was wearing a red or pink type bandana or hat covering his head.

“There was nothing unusual about the way he spoke,” Williams added.

The PT Cruiser has an unusual paint job, with flame-type painted added to the car’s side panels and the license plate number is G87RAR.

“There was a witness who saw the attack,” Williams said. “He was a truck driver from Georgia. He saw a man dragging a lady toward a black car. He turned loose of the woman and jumped into the car and drove south on U.S. 27.

She was outside of the building almost at the front doorstep, Williams said.

“The witness thought it was a domestic problem and didn’t want to get involved,” he said.

The police department has received calls from people who said they saw a man who had been hanging around the area for several days.

“I’m speculating, but he may have been stalking that area waiting for the right opportunity,” Williams said.

Anyone who may have seen the suspect hang around or who knows someone who was in the area and looking for the means to leave, or may have other information pertaining to this case is asked to call the Lake Placid Police Department at 863-699-3758 or call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS (8477).