Robbery Victim, 74, Receives a Helping Hand

Help was on the way Friday for a 74-year-old Los Angeles woman who faces large medical bills and has been unable to properly care for herself since she was viciously slashed with a box-cutter knife in a Wilshire District robbery a week ago.

Officer Charles Newman told the daytime police crew at Wilshire Station about the plight of Lucieen Grimmi, and officers immediately contributed about $50 to help the elderly victim, Sgt. Larry Smith said.

Smith, day watch commander, said that the donations had grown to about $100 by Friday afternoon. He said more than two dozen people had called the station, offering donations to help Grimmi, who lives alone.

She was attacked in her apartment carport on South Wilton Place shortly before noon last Friday by a robber who deeply slashed her arm as she clutched her purse, Smith said.

The robber got Grimmi’s purse, but it contained no money, only her identification.

Grimmi was admitted to Midway Hospital for treatment and released two days later to return to her apartment, wearing a cast on her injured arm and wishing she had enough Medi-Cal coverage to meet her costs, Smith said.

“She doesn’t have use of her left arm right now,” Smith said. “She can’t help herself.”

Iriana Perry, a city attorney’s office employee who works with victims under the state’s Victim Assistance Program, said she contacted the Visiting Nurses Assn. and has asked for nursing help for Grimmi.