2 Teens Nabbed After Allegedly Stealing Woman's Purse Off Her Arm In Nearby Palo Alto

PALO ALTO, CA – Police in Palo Alto arrested two juveniles Monday in connection with a strong-arm robbery.

The suspects, identified as 16-year-olds from East Palo Alto, were arrested on suspicion of robbery and conspiracy to commit a crime.

Officers with the Palo Alto Police Department responded at 9:30 p.m. to a report of a strong-arm robbery that had just occurred at a parking garage at 445 Bryant St.

The victim, a woman in her 50s, told police she and her husband were walking to her car when an unknown suspect ran up behind her, ripped her purse out of her hand and ran away.

The victim's husband attempted to chase the suspect but lost sight of him.

While officers were speaking with the victim, the Police Department received a call about two witnesses to the robbery, men in their 30s to 40s, chasing the suspect on foot and another witness, a man in his 20s, following in a vehicle near Hamilton Avenue and Middlefield Road, police said.

The witness in the car reported seeing a second suspect involved in the incident at Middlefield and Lytton Avenue, and was able to detain him until officers arrived, police said.

Officers took both suspects into custody without incident.

Police said the first suspect stole the purse and the second suspect acted as a lookout during the robbery.

Officers later located the victim's phone at a residence in East Palo Alto. Police used software on the victim’s stolen smartphone to trace it to a residence in the 800 block of Bell Street in East Palo Alto. The resident there, a man in his 50s, told police he found the phone on the ground in a parking lot and hadn't figured out how to contact the owner of the phone.

Officers went to the parking lot and located the victim's purse and stolen tablet in nearby bushes.

"It appears that while fleeing on foot, the suspects had discarded the stolen property in the parking lot," police said.

The juveniles were transported to Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall.

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--Bay City News/Image via PAPD