Great-grandma throws cane, chases off man robbing 82-year-old neighbor

OAKLAND, Calif. - An 82-year-old Oakland woman named Ann says her 76-year-old next-door neighbor is a hero for chasing off a man trying to rob her of her purse. 

"She saved my life, she saved my future. I really appreciate it," Ann said Tuesday.

Surveillance video shows her walking home in West Oakland earlier this month. A black Kia Optima is waiting for her in the middle of the street. 

And then, the driver gets out, tugs at her purse and whips her to the ground.

"No! No! No!" Ann is heard screaming.

"I resisted him and he shoved me down backwards on the road and Faye - she sees everything," Ann said.

Faye is her next-door neighbor. Video shows her running into the street with her cane as the robber continues to struggle with Ann, still on the ground.

Faye says even with her bad knees, she knew she had to help Ann. She rushed down her front steps, oblivious to her aching legs.

"By the time I got off the second stair, I just didn't feel it anymore, I started going, running to her aid," Faye said.

The Kia starts to drive off. Faye continues to run and uses her cane as a weapon.

"I threw it. I thought I could break that back window with it," she said with a laugh. "So I threw it."

The robber drives off. Ann is physically unharmed and still has her purse. 

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Faye doesn't think she did anything special.

"It's just something that I do. It's just something I knew was necessary to do. And she's my neighbor as well, so even if she was a stranger, I would have done the same thing," she said.

Of course, we can't forget about Faye's German shepherd, Troy. He was in the backyard at first.

But after Faye repeatedly called for him, the trusty dog comes out as backup, walking out into the street to make sure Ann was OK. 

Faye has a message for that would-be robber:

"Where's your mother, your father? How was you raised? Go get a job," Faye said.

The two women have always looked out for each other. 

"She's very modest about it, and she's done a lot of things for me without ever expecting anything in return, so she's a wonderful neighbor and a wonderful friend," Ann said.

But this stood out. 

"I told her, 'You're my hero,' and I will stand by that."