Police: Man snatches purse of widow visiting husband’s grave

LAWRENCE, Mass. – Police in Massachusetts say a man snatched an 80-year-old woman’s purse as she was visiting her husband’s grave.

Lawrence police say the widow placed her purse on the ground at St. Mary-Immaculate Conception Cemetery as she was cleaning the gravesite late Tuesday morning when a man came up behind her, grabbed the purse and ran away.

The widow provided police with a detailed description of the thief. Based on that description and an anonymous tip, police learned that a man had run to a Methuen convenience store and called a cab that took him to a nearby bridge. Christopher Ansara was arrested there.

Ansara faces arraignment Wednesday on a larceny charge. It could not be determined if he has a lawyer.