Purse Snatcher Targets Senior Citizens

A Naugatuck couple in their late 70s fell victim to an opportunist and thief Monday evening in Mountview Plaza.

A 77-year-old woman and her husband were shopping at Stop & Shop about 6:30 p.m. Monday when the woman placed her purse in the passenger seat of her car while she and he husband unloaded groceries into the trunk, police said.

The woman turned around and saw and man reach into the car and grab her purse, police said.

The woman started screaming and ran after the man, but he got away and jumped into a pickup truck on the other side of the parking lot, police said.

The truck took off at a high rate of speed and almost hit several other cars before leaving the parking lot and turning left onto Rubber Avenue, police said.

The woman said she had about $150 cash, several gift cards and some credit cards in her purse, police said.

The dark colored truck, possibly a Nissan Frontier, has a broken tailgate (see witness photo). It has not been located and police are still searching for the man. He is described as white, with a medium build and dark hair. He was wearing a grey T-shirt and blue shorts at the time of the incident.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Naugatuck Police Department at 203-729-5222.