Elderly Woman Robbed Near Church In Middletown: Police

MIDDLETOWN, CT — An elderly woman was robbed near Saint Sebastian Church on Washington Street Saturday morning in Middletown, according to police. The incident occurred at about 10:40 a.m. on July 1, police said. The suspect threatened to harm the woman before violently throwing her to the pavement and stealing her purse, according to police.

Officer William Maio and K-9 Judge responded to the scene to assist. A witness told Maio that the suspect ran through his backyard and jumped over his 6-foot tall vinyl fence and continued in an unknown direction. (To sign up for Middletown breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

Maio deployed K-9 Judge on to back side of the fence and cast K-9 Judge from this area, according to police. K-9 Judge immediately located the suspect's baseball cap and began pulling in a southerly direction, through backyards, police said.

Other officers canvassing the area spotted the suspect in Metro Plaza and took him into police custody without incident. K-9 Judge subsequently pulled Maio into some tall bushes and found the victim's purse hidden inside the shrubs, according to police.

“K-9 Judge continued to pull to the driveway on this property and located the victim's wallet on the ground,” Middletown’s K-9 unit wrote on Facebook. “The victim was treated for her injuries at the Middlesex Hospital and later released. Another great job and team work to all the responding officers.”

The suspect’s name wasn’t immediately released by police.

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