Chilling video shows daytime robbery of woman pushing stroller in Sunnyvale

Sunnyvale - A woman pushing a stroller in Sunnyvale was pushed to the ground and robbed in an incident captured on surveillance video.

Chilling video shows two women, one pushing a stroller with a young child inside, as they walk down Quail Avenue on Wednesday morning.

"They were approached by a suspect from behind," said Captain Dan Pistor of the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety.

The man apparently pretends to fall, fiddles with a shoe, and then pounces, attacking the woman as she holds the stroller. 

Pistor said the woman was "knocked to the ground, and a gold necklace was stolen off the victim's neck." 

The suspect then ran off. The entire incident lasted about 10 seconds.

"Our victim, unfortunately, sustained minor injuries, consisting of scrapes and bruises," Pistor said.

Police said the man didn't seem to care that there was a child in the stroller. It rolled out into the street as the two struggled. 

"Thankfully, the child was unhurt. There were no vehicles traveling down the road at the time," Pistor said.

Police believe the incident was a crime of opportunity. Chain-snatching robberies aren't uncommon and police say people can try to minimize the risk.

"If you are wearing valuables and jewelry, consider covering it up, maybe with a scarf or covering up your bracelets," Pistor said.

Police are trying to determine whether the man is responsible for other holdups.

"These types of crimes are taken very seriously by the Department of Public Safety," Pistor said. "Sunnyvale is a beautiful, safe place to live. But we are not immune from crime."