Dry cleaning employee speaks after thief snatches purse

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- It was a warm Friday afternoon outside Martinizing Cleaners in Southeast Fresno. Liz Gutierrez was eating lunch when her purse was snatched in the blink of an eye.

"I didn't even notice him when he went around three times, so I guess they must have been watching me," said Gutierrez.

While Gutierrez was on her phone, a pair of eyes were on her. Surveillance video captured the entire encounter.

"He said excuse me ma'am and when I looked up like that, came up just grabbed it, rolled that way," said Gutierrez.

On the bench was her purse filled with her most important belongings. IDs, trinkets, and $50 supposed to go towards her electric bill--all snatched away by a man on a bike.

"It just angers me so much, because it's just not fair," said Gutierrez.

Gutierrez says she began losing hope.

"I was hurt, I was mad, I wanted to leave. I didn't want to work here anymore," said Gutierrez.

It was also at that point when overwhelming support came flooding in.

"He goes we're going to get him, we're not going to have this in our strip, in our shopping area. We're not going to let them from stopping here, working, and making a living," said Gutierrez.

Neighboring businesses swarmed to her defense and one of them posted surveillance video, hoping to get tips on the man's identity.

"Just started this job, had a rough last six years, and everything I had was in there."

Gutierrez says her shattered faith is now healing.