Woman says robber was taken aback by how calm she was

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — A woman who scared a robber away from a Huntersville parking lot told Eyewitness News he was taken aback by how calm she was.

The woman, who asked us just to call her "Fran," said the man approached her and her daughter as they left the HomeGoods on Sam Furr Road around 10:30 Monday morning.

She said, "I asked my 6-year-old to step back so the gentleman could walk through, and he said, 'No, you don't need to. You're being robbed, I have a gun. I will kill you. Get in the car.'"

But Fran didn't do that. "What went through my mind is, 'Keep control of the conversation.' So I looked at him and just said basically out loud 'No, you're not! You're not going to do it!'" she said.

Then, she screamed loudly and took out her cellphone." He said, 'What are you doing?' I said, 'I'm taking a picture of you.' He said, 'No you're not.' I said, 'Yes I am' and I took a picture of him."

She showed us the picture that she also shared with police and put on Facebook. Police also released surveillance photos of what appears to be the same man.

They said the suspect ran from Fran to a shoe store near Target and did rob another woman outside. She was also with children. No one was hurt, but the man got away.

From Chopper Nine Skyzoom we saw police interviewing people in Cornelius where they believe he went, but they haven't found him yet.

Fran said she's proud of herself, but since the suspect said he was armed, she realizes her actions could have backfired. "Stopping to take a picture of a criminal might not be the brightest move," she said.

Fran told us this incident has taught her to be more alert. She's also now going to carry mace with her. Police tell us that they have still increased their patrols around the area and many nearby stores also have increased security.

WSOC