Borough police looking for purse snatcher

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Naugatuck police released this photo, taken by a witness, of the pickup truck a suspect in a purse snatching sped away in Monday night. –CONTRIBUTED
Naugatuck police released this photo, taken by a witness, of the pickup truck a suspect in a purse snatching sped away in Monday night. –CONTRIBUTED

NAUGATUCK — Police are searching for a suspect who snatched an elderly woman’s purse from the parking lot of the Mountview Plaza Monday night.

Naugatuck police spokesman Lt. Bryan Cammaratta said police received a report of the larceny shortly before 7 p.m.

The victim, 78, and her husband were shopping at Stop & Shop, Cammaratta said. The woman left her purse on the passenger seat of the car with the door open as the couple loaded their groceries into the trunk, he said.

The victim saw a man reach into the car, which was parked on the south side of the lot near the gas station, and grab the purse, Cammaratta said. The victim told police the man surprised her and she began to yell and run after the suspect, he said.

The suspect got into a dark-colored pickup truck in the parking lot, Cammaratta said. The truck then sped off out of the main entrance of the plaza heading east on Rubber Avenue, he said. The truck nearly hit several cars as it sped away, he said.

The victim and her husband were not injured. The victim told police she had $150 in cash, a cellphone and store credit cards in her purse, Cammaratta said.

The suspect was described as a white male with a medium build wearing a grey T-shirt and blue shorts.

Cammaratta said witnesses provided a partial license plate number. An attempt to match the partial numbers with similar pickup trucks yielded no active registrations, he said.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Naugatuck Police Department at (203) 729-5222.