DETROIT – Purna Krishnamoorthy was sitting at her desk at work when it happened.
She said the thief first asked her if it was a law office and that he needed help with a gun charge.
"So I grabbed a pen -- I actually still have what I was writing," she said.
The law student, who works as an intern at the office, started writing down his information, then this happened:
"He just leaned over my desk, got me right in the jaw, pulled chain right off of my neck and ran out of the door. And he just yelled, 'Got it!'" she said.
Security cameras caught the robbery. He ran out, turned a corner and was gone.
The 24-carat gold necklace is a family heirloom from India.
Krishnamoorthy grandmother was on her deathbed when she passed along the necklace.
"It's a very sentimental necklace for me and I just couldn't believe that he ripped it off of me," she said.
The 29-year-old said she first noticed the man when she went outside to throw out some garbage.
"He was actually crossing paths with me and I didn't really pay him any mind at first, but the video captures him noticing me," said Krishnamoorthy. "He kind of turned and must have noticed the chain on my neck then."
The robbery happened about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at a law office on West Vernor at Scotten. They've only been open for two months.
Krishnamoorthy hopes she will find her grandmother's necklace.
"The whole lunge toward me was invasive and I couldn't believe that it happened," she said. "I was in total shock."
She is offering $250 for tips leading to an arrest and $250 for the return of the chain. The number to call is 313-596-5440.