Purse Snatcher Robs Elderly Woman In Church Parking Lot

CLEVELAND — A thief snatched a 75-year-old woman's purse as she walked through the parking lot of St. Mary's Church on Wednesday. Police have released an image of the suspect, hoping someone recognizes the man.

The robbery happened a little after 7 a.m., according to Cleveland Police records. The woman arrived at the church and then noticed a man cutting through alleys towards St. Mary's. The woman ignored the man and walked towards the door of the church.

Before the woman got inside, though, the man ran up to her, snatched her purse, and took off running. He was last seen booking it toward Saranac Road, police said.

Luckily, there were few valuables in the purse. The woman keeps her ID, cell phone and cash in her pockets.

The suspect was a black man in his 20s, police said. He was slender, weighing approximately 160 pounds. He was wearing a light hoodie and dark pants. Security cameras at the church captured the man's image, as seen above this article.

Anyone with information on the robbery or on the suspect is asked to contact investigators at 216-623-5518.

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Photo from Cleveland Police