Pembroke Woman Arrested In Purse Snatching Incident

MANCHESTER, NH — A local woman was arrested after a daytime pocketbook snatching incident in the Queen City that left a mother of two with non-life threatening injuries as she attempted to grab her purse back from the suspect, according to police. Elizabeth Santos, 30, of Pembroke, was arrested in June 23, 2017, and charged with robbery. Manchester Police, according to an alert, were called to the Wendy’s Restaurant on South Willow Street yesterday afternoon around 1 p.m. for a report of a robbery and a woman getting thrown from a vehicle.

Editor’s Note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Manchester Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the name removal request process for NH Patch police reports.

The victim – a mother, 40, with two small children – was eating lunch at the time of the incident when a woman with multiple tattoos allegedly grabbed her pocketbook from the back of her chair and left the restaurant, according to police.

“The suspect fled the restaurant and entered a dark colored Chevrolet Suburban or Tahoe with silver trim,” according to Lt. Brian O’Keefe of the Manchester Police Department. “The vehicle was driven by an unknown male who had a small child in the backseat.”

The victim chased the woman as she entered the SUV and attempted to grab her purse through the window. However, O’Keefe alleged, the vehicle quickly drove from the area which caused the victim to fall to the ground. The victim sustained non-life threatening injuries as a result of the incident and was transported to a local hospital.

Police put out an alert yesterday afternoon about the incident hoping to get tips.

This afternoon, Santos was arrested at around 2 p.m. after police continued their investigation by reviewing video surveillance, conducting follow ups, and initial statements obtained during the incident, according to Sgt. Christopher Biron of the Manchester Police Department, and eventually, developed her as a suspect.

Santos, according to reports online, has a prior criminal history. In October 2014, according to a post on Patch, she was arrested for driving while intoxicated, habitual offender, stolen vehicle, and other charges, after an incident near the Steeplegate Mall on Loudon Road in Concord. According to online police logs in Pembroke, she has been arrested a number of times, including bench warrants out of Derry in 2014 and 2016.