GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A Gwinnett County mom is frightened for her family after she said a man stole her wallet, ID, and spare house key while she was shopping. She said he then showed up to her house, attacking her. Now they need help identifying the suspect.
Miriam Zepeda-Nunez was shopping at the Burlington store at Sugarloaf Mills on Aug. 10 when her wallet was stolen.
Police released surveillance video and said the unidentified man was prowling, looking for someone’s wallet or purse to steal. They said he made Zepeda-Nunez his target. When she turned her head for a moment, police said the man grabbed the wallet and walked out.
But the theft was only the first part of the crime - next would come a more frightening encounter.
"I heard a noise in my office," recounted Zepeda-Nunez.
She told 11Alive that the next night, the man showed up at her home - before she had the chance to change her locks - and used the key taken from her to get inside her downstairs home office.
“And I come to open the door to see what happened," she recalled. "When I opened the door, somebody hit me in my head.”
Police said the man then took off.
“I was so scared," she said.
It's been almost a month since the terrifying day, but Zepeda-Nunez said she's still in shock. She's hoping officers catch the suspect soon.
Gwinnett County Police Cpl. Wilbert Rundles said the man appears to be Hispanic and around 25 years old.
"He was last seen wearing a very large chain around his neck," he added.
He said he can't remember a time when a thief has used the victim’s ID to go to the victim’s house to break in and assault them.
"So that’s kind of the alarming part here," he said. "And if somebody’s willing to do that, we don’t know what they could escalate to, or how quickly.”
Anyone who recognizes him is asked to contact police.
RELATED: