Vietnam Veteran robbed outside his home in Yuma
Yuma local targeted by two men - 13 On Your Side's Arlette Yousif reports
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA/KECY) - A longtime Yuma resident and Vietnam Veteran was robbed outside his home Sunday night.
A regular day of running errands turned into a startling encounter when he was targeted by two men. It happened on Honey Avenue near West 3rd Place and Avenue C around 7 p.m.
Steve Barnhart says he had just gotten back from the grocery store when two men approached him and pushed him down to the ground.
"I had my back turned to them and, all of a sudden, they pushed, they shoved me like this. I said ‘is this a joke?’ and then I didn’t realize what was, it happened so fast. I mean these guys were fast. They run real fast and they shoved me down and I could feel one of their hands go down my billfold," says U.S. Marine Corps Ret. Master Sgt. Steve Barnhart.
Barnhart says he's shaken up by what happened and has now installed surveillance cameras around his home in this usually quiet neighborhood.
"If this is going on, seniors should always be all, we’re all very careful. Right now I’m pretty upset still so excuse me for being a mess right now," explains Barnhart.
The suspects are described as Hispanic men in their mid-twenties, wearing dark blue clothes and hats with white sneakers both with a hefty build.
They took off with $200 in cash, Barnhart’s driver’s license, and his credit cards.
"One lost his shoe. I tried to get up and chase him. They were real fast," says Barnhart.
A neighbor says Barnhart asked him for help. The neighbor drove off to look for the suspects, but couldn't find them.
"But I hope somebody’s caught ‘em but they might hurt somebody eventually if they’re doing this type of stuff," explains Barnhart.
The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office says this is an isolated situation and the case is still under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call YCSO or 78-CRIME to remain anonymous.
