Officer Nicholas Ardizzone was pulling into the parking lot at Walmart on Bridgeport Avenue, when he said Shane Kral, 26, running across the lot with an elderly woman giving chase, police said.
Kral got into a black SUV, and Ardizzone followed him until the suspect got out of the car and fled on foot. Ardizzone ran after him, detaining Kral in the woods, police said.
During the investigation, officers found heroin in Kral’s possession, police said.
The 70-year-old victim said she had parked in the lot and noticed Kral hunched down behind her car, police said. She said he lunged at her grabbed the purse and ran away, police said.
The woman was not injured.
Kral was arrested and charged with third-degree robbery, interfering with an officer, second-degree breach of peace, illegal possession and possession of drug paraphernalia, police said.
He was held on $25,000 bond and is expected in court on May 19, police said.
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