Three children were selling candy at a San Francisco intersection when a woman who was short the $1.25 she needed to buy a beer approached one of the kids, twisted her arm and stole the 8-year-old's cash, news station KTVU reports.
The children told police they were selling the candy for a school fundraiser and had the candy money in a clear plastic bag when they went into the store to see if the owner wanted to buy some.
"The kids have the money in a clear bag, clear plastic bag. So you could see all the 1s in the bag," the store owner, who did not want to share his name or that of his store, told the news station.
Police believe that the woman, whom police describe as "African American" and between 40 and 50 years of age, according to KTVU, noticed the money and followed the kids outside. She then cornered one of the young girls, asking for change for the bus.
The woman "ended up grabbing the child's arm, twisting it until she let go of the bag of money," San Francisco police Officer Gordon Shyy told the news station. She then fled on the bus.
"It's not something that we see too often, where an adult would prey upon a young person and rob them," Shyy told KTVU. "So it is alarming, and we definitely want to bring this person into our custody."
Neighbors told the news station that they are shocked that someone would steal from a child. "It's terrible, especially stealing from kids," George Daugherty told KUTV. "There are a number of schools around here, and the kids are always selling cookies and candy. And I say all of us in the neighborhood try to help them and support them because they're great kids and they're good causes. So it's always sad someone would take advantage of that."
Read more at KTVU.