Purse Snatchers Escape Stanford Shopping Center

PALO ALTO, CA -- Police are searching for two men accused of a strong-arm robbery at the Stanford Shopping Center last weekend.

A woman in her 30s was sitting at an outside table at the center near McDonald's when a man walked up and grabbed her purse on the table. She tried to hang on to it but was dragged for 10 feet before falling on the concrete walkway, Palo Alto police said. She suffered from minor cuts.

The suspects fled on foot. Two nearby shoppers heard the victim yelling and witnessed the scene. They chased the suspects who ran toward the parking garage. One of the thieves ran directly into a parked car and fell to the ground, dropping the victim's purse, but got away. The bystander recovered the purse, but the suspects were no found.

Both suspects seem to be in their late teens to early 20s. One male suspect was described as a light-skinned black man wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with the FILA brand on it, grey shorts and white tennis shoes. The other male appeared Hispanic and was wearing a white t-shirt, grey sweat pants and black tennis shoes.

Police are requesting shoppers to be vigilant about their surroundings during the upcoming holiday shopping season.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 650-329-2413.

--Image via Shutterstock