Purse-snatcher on RCMP radar

Vernon RCMP want to stop a purse-snatcher before he targets anyone else, and they're hoping the public can lend a hand.

Sunday night at 8:30 p.m. a 64-year-old woman was waiting for a ride at the Greyhound Bus depot in Vernon when an unknown male suspect snatched her purse from her hands.

"The lady had a hold of the strap but it snapped during the theft," RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk says.

A witness called police to report the theft and chased the suspect to 32 St. where he was able to grab the purse from the suspect. The witness said the suspect continued running towards the Civic arena.

"Extensive patrols were made for the suspect with negative results," Molendyk says.

Police spoke to several witnesses but nobody knew the suspect.

The purse was returned to the woman, but she said some money was missing.

The suspect was described as a white male, approximately 5'4", slight build, short buzz cut, in his late 20s wearing a blue plaid button up shirt, blue jeans, dark colored baseball cap and black very worn shoes.

Police are hoping the public will be able to assist in identifying this possible suspect from the description provided.

"This is very disconcerting," Molendyk says. "Here we have an elderly lady waiting for a ride and an individual whips a purse right out of her hand… We're in the start of our season, we're going to have tourists in town and anybody should be able to walk peacefully and not have to worry about having their purse ripped off. We'd like to know who this individual is."

Anyone with any information is asked to call the Vernon RCMP or Call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

To contact the reporter for this story, contact Charlotte Helston at chelston@infotelnews.ca or call (250)309-5230.