MANCHESTER, NH – A Wal-Mart customer came to the rescue of a fellow shopper whose purse was snatched from her cart on Dec. 23.
Police said at about 5 p.m. on Dec. 23 a purse-snatching was reported at Wal-Mart, 300 Keller St., Manchester. Ronda Healy, 51, was looking at at holiday cards when a man, later identified as Alan White, 24, no permanent address, walked by her shopping cart and grabbed her wallet from her purse. The purse was in the top child-seat section of the cart, police said.
Healy saw the man as he took her wallet and yelled, “Stop him – he has my wallet!”
Richard White, 45, (no relation to Alan White) also a customer, was in the vicinity of Healy, heard her screams for help and saw White running. Richard White was able to the chase down and grab the alleged purse-snatcher by the arm, pin him to the ground and hold him there until police arrived.
When policed spoke to Alan White he initially lied about his identity, but police were able to positively identify him. He told police he lied about his identity in hopes of not being arrested.
Alan White was arrested and charged with: theft by unauthorized taking; and false report to law enforcement. Police said White also had two electronic warrants for his arrest, both for driving after revocation/suspension.
Police want to remind shoppers to always secure wallets and purses while shopping to be less of a target of would-be robbers.
