A double dose of bad luck hit a woman Thursday morning when she first had a large amount of cash stolen, then had her car stolen while trying to get her money back.

The incident happened just after 7 a.m. near 500 West and 200 South, where a woman was cashing her disability check, said Salt Lake police detective Dennis McGowan.

The woman was sitting in her car after she cashed her check. The car was running, and a large amount of cash was sitting on top of her purse in the passenger seat, McGowan said.

A man opened her unlocked passenger door, grabbed her cash and purse and ran away, McGowan said. The woman got out of her car and started to chase after the man.

After she ran after him for a short time, the man turned around and raced back to the woman's car, which was still running, got in and drove off, McGowan said.

The alleged robber was described as a black male in his 30s, about 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds with a bald head. He was last seen wearing a dark baseball cap, blue jeans, tennis shoes and a denim jacket.

Anyone with information on the man can call police at 801-799-4636 (INFO).

e-mail: preavy@desnews.com