Attendant, Customers Nab Suspected Purse Thief
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LAKE FOREST — An attendant and two customers at a gas station captured a man suspected of snatching a woman’s purse and detained him Friday until police arrived, investigators said.
A 31-year-old woman had just withdrawn some money from a Bank of America ATM in the 23700 block of El Toro Road about 8 a.m. when a man grabbed her by the neck and took her black purse, sheriff’s Lt. Lynn Nehring said.
The woman ran to a Mobil gas station and alerted an attendant, who along with a couple of customers went looking for the suspect.
Gas station attendant Alberto Cherra, 29, of Anaheim said he found a man squatting on the ground and counting money behind the Bank of America. A black purse was nearby, he said.
Cherra called to the others and they chased the suspect about 200 yards before capturing him. Police arrived moments later and arrested Federico Bustos, 26, of Lake Forest on suspicion of robbery. Bustos was being held at the Orange County Jail.
Asked how it felt to be a hero, Cherra said, “I was tired, because I had to run a lot.”
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