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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Bystanders Thwart Purse Snatchings

Brian Coddington Staff Writer

Two attempted purse-snatching incidents at Spokane Valley businesses last week may be connected, sheriff’s deputies said.

In both incidents - one last Thursday, the second Friday - a man in his late teens or early 20s grabbed purses from women, only to have the theft thwarted by bystanders.

No weapons were involved in either case and no one was seriously injured.

The most recent incident occurred on Friday at McQ’s Billiards, 9614 E. Sprague. The victim reportedly was inside the bar about 8:25 p.m. when a man took her purse.

The woman’s boyfriend chased the thief into the parking lot and confronted the man. After a brief struggle, the boyfriend got the purse back and the thief fled on foot. The victim’s boyfriend was not hurt.

The suspect was described as a white male, about 5-foot-5 and muscular, approximately 18 years old, with blond hair and a mustache, said sheriff’s Lt. Chan Bailey. He was wearing Chicago Bulls clothing. A second suspect also may have been involved.

“This is a similar description to the suspect in the incident that occurred (the previous night) at the Kmart, Sprague and Sullivan,” Bailey said.

In that incident, the thief, who was lurking in the parking lot, ripped a woman’s purse from her arms while she walked toward the store about 8 p.m.

A bystander chased the thief behind the store and the two wrestled for control of the purse. Two more people jumped out of a waiting car during the skirmish, and punched and kicked the bystander, who managed to hang onto the purse.

All three assailants then fled with a fourth person in a dark blue or black car, possibly a Ford Probe or Mustang.

The bystander, who was not seriously hurt, returned the purse to the woman.

All four suspects were described as white and in their early 20s. Three of them were about 5-foot-6, between 150 and 175 pounds, and were wearing black pants. Two of the suspects also wore light-colored T-shirts and baseball caps.

, DataTimes