Feb. 03--OMAK -- An man who took off running after snatching a woman's purse one block from the Omak Police Station couldn't escape the watchful eyes of two alert citizens.
Police were called shortly after 12:30 p.m. to First Avenue at Ash Street, where a man in a hooded sweatshirt ran up and snatched a purse from a 59-year-old Riverside woman who was crossing the street, said Omak Police Detective Jeff Koplin.
Two people who saw the crime followed the man on foot for a few blocks, and saw him go inside a house on Cedar Street, Koplin said. They then alerted police.
When officers arrived at the house moments later, the sweatshirt and purse were in plain view, and questioned Jacob D. Smith, 20, of Riverside, who admitted to taking the purse, he said.
He said a bottle of prescription medications was missing from the purse, so police got a search warrant and found it hidden inside the home.
Koplin said the woman was not injured. Smith was arrested on suspicion of second-degree robbery and booked in the Okanogan County Corrections Center.
"A big thank you to the citizens in the area, and witnesses. They're responsible for us catching him as quickly as we did," he added.
-- K.C. Mehaffey, World staff
Copyright 2012 - The Wenatchee World, Wash.
