Delaware State Police
News Release

DSP News Release: Monday, January 19, 2009- Purse Snatching in Elsmere Shopping Center

Location of Incident: Happy Harry’s parking lot, Elsmere Shopping Center, 2203 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington, Delaware, New Castle County

Date and Time of Occurrence:  Sunday, January 18, 2008, approximately 4:40 p.m.

Suspect(s):  White Male  20-30 years old, 5'6-5'8 tall,  155-165 lbs,   sandy color buzz cut hair, clean shaven, tan pants, blue zip-up jacket

Resume: Sunday afternoon, Troopers were called to the parking lot of the Happy Harry’s in the Elsmere Shopping Center for the report of a purse snatching.

In this case, an 85-year-old female victim was brought to the shopping center to patron Happy Harry’s. She was accompanied by a friend of hers.  The two got out of their car and the friend happened to take notice to a male subject standing on the side of the business smoking a cigarette.  Even though the friend thought this subject was suspicious, the duo began to make her way to the store. 

The friend was escorting the elderly victim along the sidewalk when the suspicious subject ran up from behind them and took the victim’s purse.  The cowardice suspect ran to the rear of the Value City Department Store, which is in this same shopping center, and out of sight. 

The victim was not injured and surveillance video is not available for this case. 

Anyone with information pertaining to this caper is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333.

A Personal Safety Power Point presentation can be viewed via the State Police web site, under the Educational Resources link, at http://www.dsp.delaware.gov/pio/newsroom.htm.