LAWRENCE — A 27-year-old city woman fought off five robbers who punched her in the head repeatedly and dragged her down the street attempting to steal her purse, police said.
The woman told Detective Jeffrey Hart she had walked to the pharmacy at the Winthrop Avenue plaza to fill a prescription.
She told police she normally would have driven there but decided to walk because the weather was mild.
Upon leaving the store the victim felt she was being followed by a group of five males, and wrapped the straps of her purse around her wrist as she walked.
She was assaulted on South Union Street just south of the Exeter Street intersection.
She told police she was knocked to the ground and at least one of the suspects grabbed her purse.
She was dragged when she held onto it, and was punched in the head several times.
The men then gave up and ran down Winthrop Avenue before the victim lost sight of them.
They were described as being 16 to 20 years old, and one of them was wearing white pants and a blue coat, police said.
The following were taken from area police logs for Tuesday:
Methuen
Car crash: 400 Broadway, no injuries, 2:03 p.m.
Animal complaint: 51 Baremeadow St., coyote in the area, 2:40 p.m.
Disturbance: 182 Haverhill St., 3:56 p.m.
Car break: 70 East St., 10:07 p.m.
North Andover
Theft: 2370 Turnpike St., 11 a.m.
Vandalism: 25 Orchard Hill Road, 1:24 p.m.
Car crash: Massachusetts Avenue and Waverley Road, no injuries, 4:18 p.m.
Andover
Arrest: John Fortin, 35, 33 School St., Haverhill, driving after suspension subsequent offense, 360 N. Main St., 10:07 a.m.
Arrest: Sean Murphy, 21, 1 Marion St., Haverhill, driving after suspension, 16 Pleasant St., 1:46 p.m.
Car crash: North Main Street, two cars, no injuries, 2:56 p.m.
Car crash: Chestnut Street, no injuries, 6:02 p.m.
Lawrence
Vandalism: 575 Common St., 6:06 a.m.
Theft: 52 Crosby St., 8:47 a.m.
Arrest: A 15-year-old Lawrence boy, disturbing a school assembly, 71 N. Parish Road, noon.
Arrest: Eric Rivera, 17, 38 E. Laurel St., assault and battery, disturbing a school assembly, disorderly conduct, 71 N. Parish Road, 12:30 p.m.
Car break: 24 Bennington St., 12:35 p.m.
Burglary: 32 Chandler St., 1:28 p.m.
Burglary: 188 Phillips St., 5:02 p.m.
Arrest: Edwin Pacheco, 29, 7 Platt Court, driving after revocation, Essex and Newbury streets, 8:30 p.m.
Car crash: Currant Hill Road, no injuries, 7:29 p.m.
