UPDATE: Woman Held after Purse-snatching, Biting Incident

UPDATE: Justine Peterkin was released on bail March 24.

Clarkstown police arrested a Philadelphia resident after they were called to the Fairway market in Nanuet Sunday afternoon.

A store employee told police a 25-year-old woman had been seen taking a purse from a shopper’s handbag. Police were told she had then slapped the victim, tried to run away and bit a store employee trying to prevent it.

Police said the victim of the alleged purse-snatching was a 53-year-old Valley Cottage woman. The employee, 47, suffered a small laceration from the bite.

Detained was Justine Peterkin, 25, of Philadelphia, PA. She was arrested and transported to police headquarters for processing. The victim’s purse was recovered with nothing missing. As Peterkin was being searched, she was found to be in possession of fraudulent identification and credit cards, police said.

Peterkin was charged with robbery 2nd (felony), possession of a forged instrument 2nd (felony), grand larceny 4th (felony), criminal possession of stolen property 4th (felony), assault 3rd (misdemeanor) and harassment 2nd (violation).

She was arraigned in Clarkstown Justice Court. Bail was set at $25,000. She was transported to the Rockland County Jail. Peterkin has a return court date of March 23.