Selma Police arrested Nancy Lee Savage Monday on charges of first-degree robbery after she threatened an elderly couple as they were leaving a local drug store last week.

Savage, 34, reportedly approached the couple in front of Pilcher-McBryde Drug Company, told them she had a gun and demanded money and a ride to a nearby fast-food restaurant.

Police Chief Robert Green said the couple complied with the demands and were not physically harmed during the incident.

Savage has been well-known for the past several years, usually hanging around the downtown area and grocery store parking lots asking people for money and rides.

“Law enforcement agencies have received many complaints concerning Savage’s activities through the years,” Green said. “On many occasions, Savage entered victim’s cars without permission demanding money or a ride.”

The police chief said he has even had an encounter with the intimidating woman.

“I was leaving the Grist YMCA one night, wearing my civilian clothes, after playing basketball when I was approached by Savage,” Green said. “She told me ‘hey big daddy, can I borrow some money?’ When I told her I was a police officer, she backed away.

I initially thought she was a homeless person.”

According to police, Savage would tell her victims she worked at Lannie’s Bar-B-Q Spot and would pay them back.

Due to the number of complaints, Green said local law enforcement agencies had stepped up patrols and curtailed many of her activities by charging her with a myriad of misdemeanor offenses.

“Savage began escalating from shopping malls to attempting to enter private residences, again demanding money and promising to pay them back,” Green said.

Green said the suspect’s actions had grown increasingly more intimidating to the point that a threat of force was used, resulting in her felony arrest.

“I think we will have more citizens come forward who were reluctant to report the incident,” Green said. “I am not ruling out more charges being filed.”