Police: 84-year-old Georgia woman robbed while walking home by men wearing surgical masks

ATLANTA -- Police in Atlanta said an 84-year-old woman was robbed in the middle of the day by men wearing surgical masks.  With the men on the run, the woman was hospitalized with broken bones.

"I want them caught," said Jennifer Heffron. "You don't do this, much less to an old lady. Take me, take on my husband, but not an old lady."

Heffron said her 84-year-old mother, Dorothy Lamson, is in incredible shape. Lamson had just picked up a prescription at a CVS on Peachtree Road and wanted to walk home Monday afternoon, May 4. It was only a couple of blocks to Heffron's home in the Brookwood Hills Community.

Police said as Lamson was walking on the sidewalk, someone came up from behind her, knocked her to the ground, grabbed her purse and took off.

"I can't believe anyone would be so brazen to do that in the middle of the day in a neighborhood where people are always out walking, running, taking babies for a stroll," said Heffron.

Lamson was rushed to the hospital. She suffered a hairline fracture in her forearm and had so many broken bones in her shoulder she had to have a shoulder replacement.

"She broke her shoulder," said Heffron. "The doctor said she had four pieces of bone moving around, so she now has a bionic shoulder."

Police reviewed security video and found images of two men wearing surgical masks in a dark 2018 or 2019 Honda Accord with a "drive out tag." One of the men was caught on camera with what appeared to be the woman's purse in his hand.

"I still can't get over the fact that my mother was mugged seven houses from my own," said Heffron.

It was a despicable crime made even worse by the fact that the crooks were wearing masks during a pandemic.

"I think it's even worse that they're wearing masks," said Heffron. "That's going to make it harder, but I want them caught."

This is a Crime Stoppers case, with a reward being offered, and anyone with information was asked to contact police.