Victoria, BC – One man is in custody for three separate “drive-by purse snatching” incidents, two in Victoria and one in Saanich, which occurred over the past month.
Last night, Victoria Police working with the assistance of the Shawnigan Lake RCMP arrested the man who was identified as the suspect in the incidents. The Victoria incidents both occurred between 8 and 9 p.m. on August 31st.
In both Victoria incidents, the suspect approached women in a parking lot in the 2600-block of Quadra Street while driving a vehicle. The first victim was knocked to the ground in what appears to have been an attempted purse snatching. She suffered non-life-threatening injuries as a result. In the second incident, the suspect approached a woman, asked for directions and when she leaned in to provide them, grabbed her purse strap and drove off with her purse. She was not injured.
The suspect remains in custody and is expected to face robbery and fraud charges.
-30-