Suspects in Violent West Hartford Purse-Snatchings Charged

WEST HARTFORD, CT — Two men accused of rouging up elderly women in two August purse-snatchings have been charged, West Hartford police said.

Both incidents took place on Aug. 24, police said.

At the Santander Bank branch located at 1040 Boulevard, a 78-year-old woman was pushed to the ground by two men who injured her before running off with her purse, police said.

Two men in a tan sedan were identified.

Also that day, at Best Buy, two men attempted to grab a 65-year-old woman's purse as they drove by her, resulting in the lady being dragged, police said.

Witnesses were able to obtain the license plate of the vehicle, which was located by State troopers two days later.

Both men subsequently confessed to both West Hartford robberies, police said.

West Hartford detectives received arrest warrants for both male suspects, and they were taken into custody without incident on Tuesday.

Kevin Ortiz-Rivera, 19, of Hartford, was charged with:

• Criminal attempt at robbery in the second degree
• Two counts of conspiracy to commit robbery in the second degree
• Second-degree robbery
• Second-degree larceny
• Second-degree assault an elderly victim
• Theft of a payment card

Ortiz-Rivera was being held on court-set bonds totaling $150,000 and was lasted to appear in court Wednesday.

Christian Santana-Silva, 20, of New London, was charged with:

• Criminal Attempt at robbery in the second degree
• Two counts of conspiracy to commit robbery in the second degree
• Criminal attempt at larceny in the second degree
• Second-degree assault of an elderly victim
• Second-degree robbery
• Criminal liability of the acts of another
• Second-degree larceny .

Santana-Silva was being held on court-set bonds totaling $150,000 and was lasted to appear in court Wednesday.