Crime & Safety

Suspects Sought in Strong-Arm Robbery near Murrieta

Two men--a black man in his 40s and a white man in his mid-20s driving a red Ford Ranger--were being sought after they allegedly took an elderly woman's purse with force.

Two men were being sought in connection with the strong-armed robbery of an elderly woman's purse near Murrieta Monday afternoon.

The alleged robbery took place at 4:04 p.m. Monday in the at Murrieta Hot Springs and Winchester roads just outside Murrieta city limits, according to Riverside County Sheriff's Sgt. Keith Knotek.

Deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff's Southwest Station responded to the location. Preliminary investigation revealed that a black male, in his 40s, and a white male, in his mid-20s, allegedly grabbed a purse belonging to an elderly female, Knotek said in a news release.

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Several witness tried to chase the suspects, Knotek said, and a physical altercation for control of the purse occurred in the parking lot.

"Both suspects then got into a red or maroon-colored Ford Ranger pickup with the purse and fled out of the parking lot at a high rate of speed," Knotek said.

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The vehicle was last seen traveling westbound on Murrieta Hot Springs, he said.

Anyone with additional information regarding the incident was encouraged to contact Deputy Eric Garcia at 951-696-3000.


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