Woman, 65, Foils Purse Snatcher; Suspect Arrested

A motorcyclist who tried to snatch a 65-year-old woman’s purse and then dragged her as she hung on is a suspect in at least a dozen purse snatchings throughout the county, police said Friday.

Michael R. Coats, 27, of Whittier was arrested after the woman, clinging to her purse, caused the motorcycle to topple. Phyllis Maggiora of Anaheim had been walking to her car at the Home Depot on Katella Avenue at 9:45 p.m. Wednesday when a motorcyclist rode by and tried to yank her purse, Lt. Trey Sirks said.

Maggiora was dragged for about 15 feet until the motorcyclist fell over, police said. Other shoppers in the parking lot ran to help her and tried to pin the man, but he ran away.

A short distance away, officers responding to the scene arrested Coats, Sirks said.

Maggiora was treated at Anaheim Memorial Hospital for sprained arms and multiple bruises and cuts.

Investigators said the motorcycle had been stolen from Anaheim on Monday.

Police determined that Coats was one of two men wanted in similar robberies in the past month in Orange, Anaheim, Garden Grove, Fullerton, Buena Park, Los Alamitos, Tustin, Santa Ana, Whittier and Cerritos.

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In each case, the victim was a woman, the crime scene was the parking lot of a shopping center or a major chain store, and the robber wore either a white or a black full-face helmet, Sirks said.

On Thursday, officers arrested the second suspect, 19-year-old Raymond Skullr of Fullerton, Sirks said.

The two men were held Friday at the Orange County Jail and are scheduled to be arraigned Monday.

Police credited Maggiora with helping them catch the suspects.

“She was a real brave woman,” Sirks said. “We don’t recommend that women hang onto their bags when they’re being robbed. But if she hadn’t done it, who knows how long these two guys would go on stealing from people.”

Detectives think there are other victims who have not reported purse snatchings by robbers on motorcycles, he said.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at (714) 744-7515.