Police Hot On The Trail Of A Purse Snatcher

At approximately 7:50 p.m. on November 29th, Shreveport Police patrol officers responded to a reported purse snatching outside of a home in the 3900 block of Eileen Lane.  Upon arrival, they contacted an adult female who reported she was outside of a residence there on Eileen Lane removing items from a car when a male suspect approached her and grabbed her purse.  The suspect struck the victim and then fled the scene of the crime on foot with the stolen handbag.  The victim subsequently followed the suspect to a get-away car parked nearby and was able to provide officers with the license plate number of that vehicle. The victim suffered minor injuries.

Responding investigators discovered the vehicle the suspect absconded in, a 2002 Lexus, had been reported stolen just days earlier.  Patrolmen and detectives searched for the purloined Lexus throughout the night but to no avail. Just after 2:30 p.m. today, patrol officers spotted the car in the 700 block of West 71^st Street and, after initiating a traffic stop, the suspect fled from the stolen vehicle on foot leading police on a short pursuit that culminated with an officer deploying his department issued Taser on the suspect.  The juvenile was taken into custody and transported to the police complex where he was charged with one count of illegal possession of stolen things and one count of resisting an officer. The arresting officer has transported the suspect to LSU Hospital to be checked out and upon completion of his examination, he will be booked into the Caddo Parish Juvenile Detention Center, but at this stage of their inquiry investigators do not believe he was the person who committed the purse snatching. 

The purse snatcher is described as a black male about six feet tall with a slim build and braids in his hair.  Detectives are releasing two surveillance photos of a man who had been seen in the stolen Lexus after the purse snatching and fits the description the woman provided to them of her assailant in hopes that someone will recognize him.  Shreveport-Caddo Parish Crime Stoppers is offering a $400 reward to anyone who can provide information regarding the identity of this suspect. Contact them at 318-673-7373 with any information regarding this case.