Santa Monica police searching for suspect
By Sam Catanzaro
Police are searching for a suspect who snatched a purse from a senior citizen in the parking lot of Pavilions on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, reportedly dragging her from a vehicle.
According to the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD), on Friday, November 6 at around 5:22 p.m., officers responded to the Pavilions parking lot at 815 Montana Avenue regarding a purse snatch robbery.
“The crime, which occurred in the parking lot, was witnessed by a couple individuals; however, the police were unable to get a detailed description. Officers interviewed several witnesses at the scene and are working to obtain video surveillance images,” said SMPD Lt. Joesph Cortez.
The SMPD has no further information on the case. A person who filmed and posted a video on the Citizen App, however, provided the following description of events.
“An elderly woman, 77, was at the Pavilions parking lot, putting groceries in her car, when a white minivan with heavily tinted windows that was kind of beat up pulled open the side door and snatch her purse, then it dragged it her a bit before she fell,” Citizen user says.
The Santa Monica Fire Department–seen treating the women in a video posted on Citizen–could not be reached for comment at the time of publishing for information surrounding the status of the victim.
The SMPD says that anybody with information relating to the crime should call the Criminal Detective Division at (310) 458-8451.
