An 18-year-old man is in custody once again after he robbed a woman of her purse in Saanich Thursday afternoon.
The incident occurred at around 12:30 p.m. yesterday at Cedar Hill Cross Road and Ophir Street.
Police said the woman was loading items into her vehicle when a man approached her from behind, grabbed her, snatched her purse and then ran off.
She chased after the suspect but lost sight of him as he turned down a nearby street.
Saanich Police flooded the area and with the help of the public, officers were able to locate the suspect.
The 18-year-old suspect was arrested without incident and later identified to be the same person responsible for the two business break and enters earlier this week on Shelbourne Street.
“A brazen daytime robbery like this in Saanich is very uncommon,” said Cst. Markus Anastasiades.
“Members of the public played a pivotal role in providing timely information to E-Comm 9-1-1 and to our officers on the call which ultimately led to the quick apprehension of the offender.”
The suspect was held in custody and will be appearing in court today.
Police are recommending a charge of robbery.
Fortunately, the woman did not receive any serious injuries and her purse was recovered and returned to her by officers.
