Man Charged After Purse Theft At Cape Cod Gas Station

HYANNIS, MA — An alleged Cape Cod purse snatcher faces charges after taking his second purse on Cape Cod in just over a month.

On Saturday, 46-year-old Imuran Charlemagne was arrested and charged with unarmed robbery in Hyannis.

At approximately 4:28 p.m., Barnstable Police officers responded to the United Gas Station at 199 Falmouth Rd., after receiving a report that a man, later identified as Charlemagne, stole a woman's purse while she was at the gas pump.

Charlemagne was last seen running into the Christmas Tree Shopping plaza. The victim reported to officers that she had approximately $4,000 in her purse when Charlemagne followed her out of the gas station and "ripped the purse from her hands," officials said.

A search of the surrounding area began shortly after, and a local officer located Charlemagne sitting outside a room at the Hyannis Host Hotel. As officers prepared to take him into custody, Charlemagne entered his hotel room, prompting responding officers to secure the area, officials said.

A Barnstable Police detective assisting with the investigation and was able to identify Charlemagne as the suspect in another incident that had occurred on June 21.

In that incident, a staff member working at Luke’s Liquors at 395 Barnstable Rd., in Hyannis, reported that a man had stolen a purse from inside a running vehicle in the parking lot.

Barnstable Police detectives recognized Charlemagne as the same individual in both cases, officials said.

The detective then obtained a temporary arrest warrant and search warrant for the hotel room.

During the execution of the warrant, approximately $3,000 in cash was recovered, which was hidden inside the hotel room.

Charlemagne was transported to the Barnstable Police Department, where he was booked for unarmed robbery for stealing the purse and breaking and entering and larceny for the incident in June.