Purse Snatching Reported At Haywood Mall

A purse snatching was reported at the Haywood mall in Greenville on Sunday, the second purse snatching at the mall in recent weeks.

Police said a 13-year-old girl had her purse sitting on a sidewalk when the suspect approached her, asking for a cigarette. Reports show she was standing outside the mall between JC Penny and Ruby Tuesday.

She told police, according to the incident report, that the suspect exited a silver or light green vehicle. After asking for the cigarette, she says the suspect grabbed it. She said she tried to grab the purse in an attempt to stop the suspect but let it go after a brief “tug of war.”

The suspect then ran toward the mall perimeter road where she was seen getting into a vehicle.

Police are looking for a black woman in her 20s with black hair and brown eyes. The victim said the suspect was wearing a black shirt, dark jeans and jacket.

The suspect was also described as skinny, standing 5’9” tall.

The purse is described as a brown and white cow print with pink handles. The victim had some cash in the purse along with a wallet, house key and other items.

Police say the girl is lucky not to have gotten hurt and that women should never run after a purse snatcher.

“If you have a purse hold on to it and if someone tries to take it let them have it,“ Sgt. Stacey Owens of the Greenville Police said. “I think you should always aware of your surrounds and things like this can occur anywhere at anytime.“

There have been a total of eight purse snatchings in Greenville this year, two of them at the mall.