HOUSTON – A purse belonging to a 76-year-old woman was allegedly stolen Saturday in the parking lot of a grocery store in West Houston.
The woman and her 50-year-old son said they ran into one of the purse snatchers as they were leaving the store, who was after her purse.
The two said they were shopping together Saturday. The son walked out to his car with his teenage daughter with his mother behind them pushing a shopping basket. They said they didn't notice they were being watched.
"There's a car following us and we didn't pay attention," he said. "They see my mom as easy prey because she has a purse in the basket. That guy stopped next to my mom's basket, and he jumped out of the car."
They said the man grabbed her purse and threw it to a woman waiting in the white minivan he was driving.
"I was upset," said the son. "I get out of the car, I follow him, I say 'Hey.' I yell."
Without thinking, the son went after the people who'd just stolen her mother's purse.
"I was so mad, I bang on the car and he rushed away," he said. "I lost my balance and I fell."
The son said he skinned up his arms, skidding along the pavement, then watched the crooks drive away.
He told Local 2 he feels lucky something more serious didn't happen. Afterwards, he said it occurred to him the couple may have been armed.
A couple of witnesses said they followed the crooks for a while down Westheimer and were able to get a license number. Police said they found the abandoned van, but it turns out it was stolen.
Police are asking anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers.