Woman Says Would-Be Robbers Surrounded Car After California State Fair

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A woman says two men tried to rob her while she left the state fair on Tuesday.

Jessica Hilderbrand says she had just walked to her car after fun-filled day at the California State Fair. It was at about 11 p.m., and she, a male friend and her son had just gotten into the car parked across the street on Heritage Lane and Exposition Boulevard.

"When I looked over and saw a masked man holding what I thought was a gun, I thought I was going to die," she said. "They told me to get out of my car and give them my purse and money."

She says one man came to the driver's side while the other was on the passenger's side. Her son was terrified in the backseat.

"I turned around to grab my purse and at that point, I looked at the gun, and it was almost as if I was going to say goodbye to my life," she said. "And then I started to look and noticed it wasn't a real gun."

That's when the attempted robbery came undone. Her friend was able to fight the would-be robbers off and she was able to call 911 from inside the car.

The would-be robbers got away, but Jessica wants to warn others that they may be targeting fairgoers.

"These individuals are bold and brazen, and I believe they're targeting fairgoers as they leave at night," she said.

Hilderbrand was not parked on fairgrounds property. The case is under investigation.