Police Search for Apparent Serial Purse Snatcher

Carroll County Sheriff’s Deputies are investigating the robbery and theft of a purse taken from an elderly woman on the Sunnybrook Apartments parking lot outside of Westminster late Wednesday, Jan. 4. 

According to a police report, at approximately 5:30 p.m., the woman was crossing the parking lot from her car when a white van, believed to be a Chrysler Town & Country Minivan approached her, pulling into an adjacent parking space.  A man exited the van, approached the woman and asked for directions before grabbing the strap of her purse as it hung from her shoulder, knocking her to the ground while fleeing.

Police said the woman was not injured, and the man fled in the van with the purse.  The man was described as a white male approximately 50 years old, of medium build standing approximately five feet, three inches tall with a white beard, red baseball cap and tan coat. 

The man is suspected in similar incidents reported to police in the southern Pennsylvania communities of Hanover and Gettysburg, where the attached images were captured by surveillance cameras.  The incidents are believed to be related.

Sheriff’s detectives are working with Pennsylvania authorities as the investigation continues.  Anyone who may have witnessed, or has information about this incident or the identity and whereabouts of the suspect or his vehicle is asked to contact Detective Fred Timms of the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division at 410-386-2575, or the toll free anonymous TIPS Hotline at 1-888-399-TIPP (8477).