Man On E-Bike Robbed Woman Of Her Purse, Stamford Police Say

STAMFORD, CT — A 39-year-old man was arrested early Wednesday after police said he approached a woman while on an electric bike and robbed her of her purse.

Investigators are looking into a similar incident that was reported several hours earlier to see if there is a connection, according to Assistant Stamford Police Chief Richard Conklin.

Walter Delgado, a Stamford resident, was arrested Wednesday charged with third-degree robbery, third-degree larceny, third-degree assault, second-degree criminal mischief and breach of peace, Conklin said.

The incident occurred at approximately 1:30 a.m. when a 34-year-old woman left a bar and was walking on Broad Street. A man on an e-bike came up to her from behind and grabbed the purse she was carrying, and a struggle ensued, according to Conklin.

The man subsequently fell off the bike, and a utility knife fell out of his pocket onto the sidewalk, Conklin said, noting the woman stopped struggling with him at that point. The man then fled on foot.

Uniformed patrol responded quickly and located the e-bike, knife and the victim, Conklin said. The victim was able to give a description of the man, which was broadcast to responding units.

Police set up a perimeter in the area, and within 10-15 minutes found a man, later identified as Delgado, sitting on a back stairway of an apartment building on North Street, Conklin said.

The victim, who suffered minor scrapes and bruises, was able to positively identify Delgado, Conklin said. The woman refused medical treatment.

Utilizing a "find my phone" app the victim had, officers located the purse under a nearby footbridge, Conklin said.

"Midnight patrol did a very good job on this, responding rapidly and speaking to the victim and getting a description of the suspect out," Conklin added.

Another robbery was reported about five hours earlier at around 8:30 p.m. in the area of the 100 block of Bridge Street, Conklin said. A man approached a woman, grabbed her purse and left on a bike.

Conklin said investigators will follow up and see if there is any connection between the two incidents.

Delgado was arraigned on Wednesday and given a $150,000 bond. He remained in custody as of Thursday afternoon and is scheduled to appear in court next on June 2.