Police are appealing to the public for help in probing the mugging which put 77-year old Josie Ray in the hospital, where she remained last night, fighting for her life.

Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Crockwell (in picture below) spoke at a press conference held at the Southampton Post Office yesterday, in the spot where Mrs. Ray was attacked.

"The attack on 77-year old Mrs. Josie Ray occurred at approximately 5.45 p.m. on Sunday, February 2, while the victim was retrieving mail from her mailboxes outside the Southampton Post Office on Church Road in Southampton," he said, indicating the mailboxes behind him.

The Royal Gazette understands Mrs. Ray, the wife of William (Cheese) Ray, had finished checking one mailbox and was moving around the side of the Post Office to check another when the robber struck, snatching at the handbag she had secured on her shoulder.

Instinctively trying to protect her handbag, Mrs. Ray was pulled to the ground where she struck her head and broke her wrist before the robber managed to escape, wrenching the bag from her grasp. The bag reportedly contained credit cards and $150 in cash. The credit cards and the bag were recovered, however the thief escaped with the cash.

Mrs. Ray was later taken to King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEMH) where she was suffering from bleeding and swelling of the brain.

"Police are interested in speaking to two ladies who were in separate vehicles," Insp. Crockwell said. "One of the ladies drove the victim to her house while the other followed.

####"Also, we would like to speak with four men who were all in one vehicle and stopped to the victim after the attack, to offer assistance."

When asked about rumours the area is a well-known drug hangout, with a crack house supposedly situated just behind the Post Office near Port Royal Primary School, Insp. Crockwell stated he had no specific knowledge of such matters.

"But once we canvas this neighbourhood we are going to find the crack house," he said.

Police are also interested in speaking to anyone who was in the area at the time, including a group of young men playing basketball on Port Royal school field. Anyone with information about the incident should contact Insp. Crockwell or Detective Sergeant Jerome Laws at the Serious Crime Unit on 299-4315 or the Crimestoppers Hotline on 1-800-623-8477. No one has been arrested in relation to the incident.

Josie Ray remained in critical but stable condition in the ICU at the King Edward Memorial Hospital last night. She is the mother of four.