A ROBBERY victim has described how her attacker grabbed her by her wrists to steal her phone and purse.

Jodie Chapman, 20, was yards from her work front door when she was targeted on Monday morning.

The trainee accountant felt able to return to work yesterday after recuperating at home since she was robbed.

Jodie said: “I was just walking to work from the train station and saw a car parked up at the side of the road.

“The engine was running and the hazard lights were on. I became a bit wary as the back windows were tinted.

“I was thinking about crossing the road but then didn’t think any more of it, I have given people directions before.

“As I was within reaching distance, the man on the driver’s side grabbed my wrists and held me against the driver’s side window.

“He snatched my phone out of my left hand.

“He asked me to put my purse in the car.”

Jodie added: “There was another guy sitting in the back seat, that’s what made me panic.

“I panicked and just threw my purse in.”

Jodie said a second car then approached which spooked her attackers.

“He [the driver] pushed my wrists away and they sped off.”

The incident happened about 10.10am on London Road in Kelvedon, close to the Knight Developments offices, where Jodie works.

She continued into work where colleagues called police who arrived a short time later.

Jodie went home to Chelmsford and on Wednesday had a tetanus jab from her GP after the scuffle left a scratch on her wrist.

She added: “It is horrible it has happened outside of work and I have got to go back there every day now knowing they haven’t been caught.

“Police told me there have been similar incidents in Witham, I don’t know if they are linked.”

Jodie has also been told her phone has been traced to the Colchester area where it was found destroyed near train tracks.

The car involved was a black Audi A3.

Anyone with information can call Sgt Stuart Smith at Chelmsford police station on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.