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By TERRIE MORGAN-BESECKER; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Tuesday, December 02, 1997 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A 





WYOMING- Police are advising shoppers to take extra precautions after a
woman was run over Sunday while trying to retrieve her stolen purse from the
thief's getaway car. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Susanne Vikara, 44, of Swoyersville, escaped with only minor injuries after
her leg was run over by the suspect's car used in the 7:30 p.m. robbery at the
Midway Shopping Center, said Patrolman Bob Boyer. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "I was afraid to stand up at first. I thought, something has to be broke,"
Vikara said Monday night. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Vikara said she was upset and wasn't going to give up her purse, with $495
cash from two weeks worth of pay, without a fight. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 She said all she could think of during the struggle was that she is a
single mother, who works 40 hours a week, goes to school part-time, and brings
home the primary income for her daughter and grandson. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I felt determined he would not go away with that purse," Vikara said,
"There's no way I could let him do this." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It was like instinct." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Boyer said police typically advise robbery victims not to fight back, but
he doesn't fault Vikara for her actions. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Statistics always say it's better not to fight back or resist, but to get
a good description of the person," Boyer said. "It just seems to me her
instincts kicked in and she tried to get her purse back. Thank God she's OK." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Vikara was bruised and suffered several lacerations. She declined
treatment, but said visited her physician Monday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I feel fine," she said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "This is an example of when adrenaline starts pumping." Boyer said. "I
think that might have saved her. When a vehicle runs over your leg, it should
be broken." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Boyer said residents are more at risk during the holiday season, and police
are encouraging them to be extra careful. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Tis the season. It's the time of year robberies increase, not only
robberies of businesses but robberies of people," he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Vikara was loading groceries into her car and had just taken her purse from
her shopping cart when a man approached her from behind, Boyer said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "She had her purse in her hand and the guy came up and said `I'll take that
ma'am.' That's when he grabbed it out of her hand." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Boyer said Vikara chased the man, who jumped into a waiting car. Vikara
lunged through the open passenger side window and had her hand on the purse,
but the suspect pushed her out of the car. Her leg was run over as the car
sped away. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The shopping center is in one of the higher crime areas in the borough. A
police substation was located there but closed last summer due to lack of
funding. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Boyer said he thinks the substation provided an additional deterrent to
certain crimes. But he conceded it probably would not have prevented Sunday's
incident. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Even if the substation were still there, Boyer said, it likely would not
have been manned at the time of the robbery. A police officer was near the
center when the call came in, he said, and arrived within minutes. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Police are continuing their investigation. Boyer said several eye witnesses
interviewed Monday provided additional details. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The suspects are described as a heavyset white male, about 5 feet 7 inches
tall, with collar length, shaggy brown hair and glasses, and a female, about 5
feet 3 inches tall with dark, straight, long hair. The pair were believed to
be driving a gray or light blue Honda Civic. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Anyone who witnessed the crime or who has other information is asked to
call Wyoming Police at 693-1515.- &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Times Leader staff writer John Decker contributed to this story. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

`no Way,' Said Victim Of Theft