MANCHESTER, NH – Abdiraham Malin, 22, of Manchester, was arrested Sept. 8, charged with an alleged purse-snatching robbery of woman following an encounter at a Hanover Street convenience store.
According to a police narrative, on Tuesday at approximately 11 p.m., a woman entered the Down the Block store, 167 Hanover St. While in line to make a purchase, a man, later identified as Malin, who was standing behind her, attempted to engage her in conversation, offering to pay for her items. The woman declined, left the store and proceeded to walk home. Upon reaching the area of Lowell and Walnut streets, Malin allegedly approached from behind and struck the woman on the left side of her head. The woman fell to the ground hitting her head on the curb, resulting in a laceration.
The man grabbed her purse and fled on foot west on Lowell Street. The woman provided a physical and clothing description of her assailant.
Officers obtained video footage of the suspect from the store and broadcast the information. At approximately 2 a.m., Detective Thomas Gonzales observed Malin from whom he recognized from the video footage, who at the time was still wearing the same clothing, walking west on Granite Street. He still allegedly had items belonging to the woman, and he was subsequently arrested for the robbery.
Malin was scheduled to be arraigned on September 9 in the 9th Circuit District Court Manchester to answer to the charge of armed robbery. Police clarified that while no weapon was used, any robbery involving force is considered an armed robbery.
