2nd Purse Snatching Attempt Investigated In Palo Alto's Midtown

PALO ALTO, CA — Investigators believe a man wanted in a failed purse-snatching earlier this month attempted to steal from a second victim in the Midtown area this week, making for a second unsuccessful robbery.

In a news release, the Palo Alto Police Department said a woman in her 40s called 911 on Tuesday morning to report a man attempted to pull her purse away in a pharmacy parking lot at 2605 Middlefield Road. The victim told officers she was walking through the parking lot when a man riding a skateboard approached her from behind and grabbed her purse strap. The woman was able to pull away, and the man fled.

The woman provided police with a suspect description, and investigators were able to get a surveillance photo of the man from a nearby store. After reviewing the evidence, detectives said they believe the same suspect attempted to steal a purse from a woman in her 70s on Oct. 9, just a few blocks away.

Anyone who recognizes the suspect can contact dispatch at 650-329-2413 or submit an anonymous tip to 650-383-8984.