A woman remained hospitalized Thursday with her family at her side after she was assaulted and robbed while leaving a grocery store.

According to police, the woman was leaving the Kroger store, located at 1585 Georgesville Square Dr., when the man targeted her on Sept. 4.

She was shopping by herself around 10 p.m. and was pushing a cart that had her groceries inside.

Police believe the man was searching for a victim inside the store, and when he spotted this 80-year old woman near her car, he knocked to the ground and stole her purse.

Another witness came face-to-face with the suspect.

"I saw this guy in the store and he came up to me and said 'Have you seen my friend? Have you seen my friend?' And I didn't talk to him because he seemed kind of weird. He seemed kind of drunk," said Debbie Scholl.

Authorities said the suspect stole more than $1,000 from the woman along with a necklace.

Chris Shell said he helped the woman until medics arrived.

“I wanted to make sure she's alive and breathing,” said Chris.

He said he could hear her breathing, but it appeared she had been knocked out.

As for Scholl, she hopes police can solve this case soon, before the suspects hurt someone else.

"He's a monster to attack a little old lady by herself at night he knew what he was doing,” she added.

The robber was described as a white male with brown hair worn in a ponytail. He was wearing a green shirt with the No. 2 on the back.

He and another man left in van appeared to be a white Dodge or Plymouth minivan.

Anyone with information about the robber is asked to contact the Columbus Division of Police Robbery Squad at 614-645-8177.

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