Palm Desert Purse Snatching Suspect Pleads Not Guilty

INDIO, CA — A Thousand Palms man who allegedly stole someone's purse in La Quinta and is suspected of other purse thefts as well pleaded not guilty Wednesday to one felony count of robbery.

Eddie Ramirez, 40, was arrested Friday on suspicion of robbery and multiple outstanding warrants, according to Corporal Phillip Lorton of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

He has a felony settlement conference scheduled for Oct. 7 at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.

Lorton said deputies from the sheriff's Thermal station responded to a robbery at a business in the 79200 block of Highway 111 at about 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 21. Ramirez is accused of snatching a purse from a frightened victim, Lorton said.

After Ramirez was identified as a suspect, he was found and arrested in the 82100 block of Indio Boulevard in Indio on Friday, according to Lorton.

The stolen property was allegedly found in his possession.

He was booked into the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio, where he was being held on $50,000 bail.

Multiple purse thefts in the cities of La Quinta, Palm Desert and the area of Bermuda Dunes were also linked to Ramirez, according to Lorton.

Anyone with information about the alleged crimes was asked to contact Deputy Ortiz or Deputy Martinez from the Thermal sheriff's station at 760-863- 8990.