THIS is the horrifying moment a thug snatches a screaming woman and tries to drag her into his car.

The chilling encounter was caught on CCTV outside a retail store in St Augustine, Florida, and released by the St John’s County Sheriff’s Office.

Dramatic footage shows Theodore Michael Tundidor, 31, choking the terrified woman from behind and dragging her towards his Toyota truck.

He unlocks the car whilst still grasping her and wrestles with the door.

The unidentified victim’s screams intensify to petrified shriek as Tundidor tries to bundle her onto the seat.

Through the screams, she cries: “Help, help!” and “Get off!”

She can be seen through the window writhing around in panic, trying to break free.

Eventually, she escape his clutches and scrambles off onto the pavement, still shouting for help and with the attacker giving chase.

Cops said that a bystander saw the attempted abduction and came to the woman’s aid before calling 911.

The brute was forced to jump into his truck and take off.

Crews arrived at the scene in St Augustine, but the truck was gone.

Florida Fish and Wildlife officers later observed the pickup truck speeding “recklessly” along Route A1A, initiating a high-speed pursuit before the suspect was eventually apprehended.

Tundidor had allegedly stolen the pickup truck and driven it around on a crime spree.

He is accused of stealing hundreds of dollars worth of cigarettes and vapes from various businesses.

The kidnap attempt victim was the clerk at one of the stores he allegedly robbed, the authorities said.

He faced charges of kidnapping, robbery, and grand theft auto for the events on June 29, in addition to driving under the influence and evading the authorities.

Police praised the woman’s behaviour, saying: “The victim did everything right – scream/yell, fight, attract attention.”