Good Samaritans recover woman’s stolen purse and apprehend the purse snatching suspect in downtown Kelowna Wednesday afternoon.
On Feb. 24 12:14 p.m., the Kelowna RCMP received a report of a fight near the intersection of Pandosy Street and Water Street. Police attended the area and located two men and a woman who appeared to be detaining another man on the ground. Investigators have determined that the woman had been the victim of an apparent purse snatching.
The 28-year-old Kelowna woman had just exited her vehicle at Pandosy Street and Lawrence Avenue when a suspect approached her from behind, grabbed her clutch wallet from under her arm, and fled on foot. She was uninjured and immediately called for help and several bystanders quickly jumped into action.
“Two Good Samaritans were allegedly assaulted during the apprehension of the suspect. The bystanders each sustained minor to moderate facial injuries,” said Const. Jesse O’Donaghey. “Officers located the victim’s wallet pinned underneath the suspect as he was taken into police custody. The wallet was returned to the victim with everything still inside."
The suspect, a 21-year-old Kelowna man, was held in police custody. He faces several potential criminal charge including, one count of robbery, one count of breaching conditions of an Undertaking, as well as two counts of assault. He was expected to appear in Court on February 25.