Sarasota business owner's daughter tries to fight off robber

SARASOTA, Fla. (FOX 13) - Sarasota police detectives are searching for a suspect who entered a laundromat and robbed the business owner's daughter.

"I was thinking, 'This person is acting weird. Like, something is wrong,' but it was a totally different situation," said the victim, Michelle Bueg.

It happened around 8 a.m. New Year’s Eve.

In the surveillance video released by the Sarasota Police Department, the unidentified suspect, possibly a female, is seen entering Colonial Laundry and Dry Cleaning, located at 290 North Lime Avenue.

The suspect walked into the business and talked to Bueg. Soon after, the suspect showed her a note, which asked Bueg to hand over all of her money.

"I know that she said, 'My baby is in the hospital. Give me your money,'" said Bueg.

There was a brief struggle as Bueg tried to quickly walk away from the suspect.

"If felt like a person who really wanted to hurt me," said Bueg. "In my head, I was like, 'Give up.'"

The suspect took $1,500 and locked Bueg inside a bathroom before running off.

Photos of the suspect are now plastered around the family business.

"I want her put her away so she learns a lesson," said Bueg.

The lesson Bueg learned: Money isn't worth everything.

"I get it. She needs money. But then again, it’s a crime and she put me in danger and she could have hurt me really bad,” she said.

The suspect is believed to be a female, between 5-foot 10-inches and 6-feet-tall. She was last seen wearing a red and white tracksuit, sunglasses, a wig, and had on a clear mask while inside the business.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Jessica Sullivan at 941-954-7076 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by calling 941-366-8477 or online at www.sarasotacrimestoppers.com.