Video released in parking lot attack of 95-year-old woman

By Las Vegas Sun Staff (contact)

Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2010 | 8:50 a.m.

Metro Police have released surveillance video footage of a 95-year-old woman being shoved to the pavement during an attempted purse-snatching in late July. She died earlier this month from her injuries.

Bertha Meier, from Las Vegas, had been in critical condition since the July 26 incident at a Smith's grocery store parking lot in the 4800 block of Desert Inn Road. Police now are working the case as a homicide investigation.

Officials said a woman approached Meier from behind and tried to grab her purse, but the victim put up a struggle to keep the purse. The would-be robber eventually shoved Meier to the ground without taking her purse, police said.

The fall to the pavement caused Meier to break her hip and suffer a small concussion, police have said. After the attack, other customers in the parking lot are seen in the video rushing to help the woman.

Police said the attempted robber fled with another woman in a dark blue, two-door, sub-compact car.

The attacker was described as a white woman, 20 to 24 years old, 5-feet-5-inches tall and 120 to 140 pounds. She was wearing a light brown dress. The driver was also a white woman with long brown hair, police said.

Anyone with information about the incident is being asked to call Metro's robbery unit at (702) 828-3591 or Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555.