Montco Man Attacked, Robbed Elderly Woman With Groceries: Cops

POTTSTOWN, PA — A Pottstown man has been arrested after attacking and robbing an elderly woman who was loading groceries into her car, police said.

Nicholas Thomas, 38, faces numerous charges related to the incident.

It occurred on Monday morning, May 7, at around 9:50 a.m. at the Landis Supermarket parking lot on 2190 E. High Street.

The 77-year-old woman was carrying groceries to her car when Thomas came up and pretended to offer help, police said.

After a moment, however, Thomas grabbed the victim's purse violently, injuring her hand. He then ran into his vehicle nearby, where he had with him a three-year-old child. He quickly fled the scene.

The incident was reported and police sought out Thomas and eventually found his vehicle fleeing at a high rate of speed on Maple Glenn Circle. Police said that officers attempted to stop Thomas, but he sped away west on High Street and tried to elude officers by driving into the CVS parking lot, nearly colliding head on with officers.

Police said they then stopped the pursuit "out of concern for public safety." Thomas was found nearby shortly thereafter and taken into custody.

He faces two counts of robbery, reckless endangerment, theft, simple assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and related counts.

Bail was set at $250,000 cash. A preliminary hearing was set to take place on Tuesday.

Image via Lower Pottsgrove Police Department