Tourist Pistol Whipped and Robbed in Miami Beach

Miami Beach Police are searching for an armed robber who pistol whipped a German tourist and stole her purse.

Christina Schulz’s cell phone, credit cards and passport were stolen as she was approaching Hotel Riu in the 3100 block of Collins Avenue, police say. The suspect in the attack, who had gotten off at a nearby bus stop, assaulted her after she refused to hand over her purse.

Schulz said she and her friend were walking when they felt a man behind them.

"He had a mask around his mouth," Schulz said. "He had a gun and he wants to have my bag and he hit me and I fall on the floor and hit me with a gun on my head."

Detectives said the woman held on to the purse until it began to tear and that's when the assailant struck her with the firearm over the head. The woman was knocked to the ground and the assailant got away with her valuables.

Miami Beach Police Chief Dan Oates said the search is on to find the attacker. He also said that this unfortunate crime is a reminder that visitors need to be aware of their surroundings, especially during what is a busy time in the South Florida tourist season.

The chief said when compared to last year robberies are actually down 11 persent on Miami Beach, with crime, overall, down about three percent.

Detectives said the man police are looking for is a black male with dreadlocks who was wearing jeans and a green hoodie. Detectives have reached out to Miami-Dade Transit to see if they have a good image of him getting off that bus.