Home » West Melbourne Cops Nail Purse Snatching Suspect

West Melbourne Cops Nail Purse Snatching Suspect

By  //  December 23, 2013

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share on Delicious Digg This Stumble This

Auston M. Russell, 18, ARRESTED

[gmarker marker_latitude=”” marker_longitud=”” marker_label=””] [/gmarker]

ABOVE MAP: The West Melbourne Police responded last week to reports of two purse snatchings at the Walmart located at 845 Palm Bay Road in West Melbourne.

BREVARD COUNTY • WEST MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – The West Melbourne Police has arrested Auston M. Russell, 18, on charges of Robbery by Sudden Snatching, two counts of Grand Theft on persons 65 or older, and 18 counts of Fraudulent Use of Credit Cards, according to Sgt. Eric Rothery of the West Melbourne Police Department.

The West Melbourne Police has arrested Auston M. Russell, 18, on charges of Robbery by Sudden Snatching, two counts of Grand Theft on persons 65 or older, and 18 counts of Fraudulent Use of Credit Cards, according to Sgt. Eric Rothery of the West Melbourne Police Department.
The West Melbourne Police has arrested Auston M. Russell, 18, on charges of Robbery by Sudden Snatching, two counts of Grand Theft on persons 65 or older, and 18 counts of Fraudulent Use of Credit Cards, according to Sgt. Eric Rothery of the West Melbourne Police Department.

The arrest stems from two incidents, the first being when West Melbourne Police responded last Wednesday at approximately 2 p.m. to a report of a robbery by sudden snatching at the Walmart at 845 Palm Bay Road.

The elderly female victim was loading groceries in her vehicle when the suspect drove up and attempted to remove the victim’s purse. The victim attempted to hold on to the purse straps but the suspect overpowered the victim and fled with the purse.

The crime was captured by store video surveillance in the parking lot of Walmart.

SECOND THEFT OF PURSE

The next day, the second incident occurred around 4:45 p.m. West Melbourne Police responded to a report of a Grand Theft in the same parking lot as another elderly female had her purse stolen from her grocery cart while loading groceries. The video showed a similar suspect vehicle as the day before.

The next day, the second incident occurred around 4:45 p.m. West Melbourne Police responded to a report of a Grand Theft in the same parking lot as another elderly female had her purse stolen from her grocery cart while loading groceries. The video showed a similar suspect vehicle as the day before.

Auston M. Russell
Auston M. Russell (BCSO image)

Soon after both thefts, both victim’s credit cards were used at local businesses, according to Sgt. Rothery.

After conducting an investigation, West Melbourne Police Detectives arrested Russell last Friday. According to the West Melbourne Police the suspect has been cooperative with investigators.

STAY TUNED TO SPACECOASTDAILY.COM FOR UPDATES TO THIS STORY