Korean mother visiting her daughter robbed, beaten at Placentia hotel

PLACENTIA, Calif. (KABC) -- Two women, one who was visiting from South Korea, were robbed at gunpoint in the parking lot of a hotel in Placentia. One of the women, a 55-year-old, was viciously beaten and left unconscious on the ground after she resisted the suspects.

Officers responded to the scene at a Denny's restaurant and Best Western hotel at 118 E. Orangethorpe Ave. in Placentia, where they found a mother and her 25-year-old daughter who said they had just arrived at the hotel when the violent incident took place.

The women said a blue four-door sedan pulled up beside their vehicle and parked. Two men got out of the car's passenger doors while the driver stayed inside, according to police.

One suspect then attempted to grab the 55-year-old mother's purse. When she resisted, the other male suspect pointed a gun at her.

"The mother fought back. Apparently she had passports and legal documents inside of her bag that she did not want to lose," Placentia police Sgt. Bryce Angel said.

The suspects pushed the mother to the ground and began punching and kicking her, continuing even after they had taken her purse. The woman was beaten until she was unconscious.

She remains in the hospital with serious injuries and will need surgery, authorities said.

Both suspects returned to the waiting vehicle and fled toward Orangethorpe Avenue, according to police.

The suspects were described as two men in their late teens. Both were around 6 feet tall and wore dark clothing. Though the driver was never seen by the victims, they described the vehicle as a navy blue four-door BMW sedan with a spoiler and a yellow paper dealership license tag.

If you have any information about this attack, Placentia police ask that you call the detective bureau at (714) 993-8187 and ask for Detective Reger.