PLANTATION, Fla. – Four robberies were reported this week at several Publix stores in Plantation, authorities said.
Detectives said they believe the same group of people is committing the robberies, which started on Sunday, because all of the incidents involved a similar vehicle description.
The first robbery was reported at 6:20 p.m. Sunday at the Publix at 1181 S. University Drive.
Police said a black Nissan Altima pulled up behind a woman as she was loading her groceries into her car. Police said a man got out of the back seat, pepper sprayed the woman and snatched her purse.
Her vehicle was stolen later that night from the driveway of her home after she had it towed, police said. It has since been recovered.
The second robbery was reported the same night at 7:15 p.m. at a Publix at 8101 W. Sunrise Blvd.
Police said the victim was approached by a man and a woman, who pepper sprayed her and stole her purse.
Two women are believed to have been robbed by the man and two women Tuesday after leaving an Outback Steakhouse in a shopping plaza at 1823 N. Pine Island Road.
Police said the driver of the Nissan struck one of the victims in the thigh, and then the man got out of the car and repeatedly punched her in the head.
Police said the two women attacked the other victim. A cellphone was taken during the robbery.
The final robbery was reported at 8:45 p.m. Wednesday at a Publix in the area of Northwest 69th Avenue and West Broward Boulevard.
The victim told police she was driving home from Publix when a black Nissan intentionally rear-ended her vehicle while she was entering her development.
When the woman got out of her car to check the damage, a man and a woman got out of the Nissan, pepper sprayed the victim and took her purse, authorities said.
"Pepper sprayed her, punched her in the face twice, pushed her down and closed the door and took off. They left her on the street," the victim's son told Local 10 News.
Police said the man got into the victim's car and drove away, while the woman fled in the Nissan.
The victim's car has since been recovered.
Authorities described the robbers as a black male and two black females in their late teens or early 20s.
The man is described as being thin, while one of the women is heavy-set, police said.
Anyone with information about their identities is asked to call Plantation police at 954-797-2100 or Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.