West Milford PD: Detectives ID, Seize Supermarket Parking Lot Purse Snatcher

A West Milford detective tracked down and charged a 59-year-old Greenwood Lake man with knocking down a woman in the parking lot of a local supermarket when he tried to snatch her purse, authorities said.

INSET: Robert Owens Jr.
Photo Credit: *MUGSHOT: Courtesy WEST MILFORD PD*

Jerry DeMarco

03/12/2019 5:13 p.m.

Detective Michael Malfetti got a huge assist from Greenwood Lake Detective Leanne Gayler in busting Robert Owens Jr. on attempted robbery charges.

The victim was walking to the ShopRite off Marshall Hill Road after just parking when Owens pulled up alongside her the morning of Feb. 25 and asked where he could find Frank’s Pizza, Police Chief Timothy Storbeck said Thursday.

As she turned to point, Owens got out of his car -- with New York State license plates -- and began tugging on the woman’s purse, he said.

She wasn’t relenting, though.

The woman got knocked to the ground but still held onto her purse as Owens got into his car and sped off, the chief said.

Owens was brought to the Passaic County Jail pending a detention hearing in Central Judicial Processing Court.

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