87-Year-Old Woman's Handbag Stolen As She Shopped For Groceries In San Rafael; Suspect Arrested

SAN RAFAEL (CBS SF) -- A man was arrested after allegedly swiping the handbag of an 87-year-old woman as she was shopping at a supermarket in San Rafael Thursday, police said.

San Rafael police responded to the call at around 2 p.m. at a Safeway supermarket on B St. in San Rafael. The responding officer learned the woman had placed her purse in the shopping cart while she shopped. The woman said she noticed a younger male who seemed to appear near her as she moved through the store aisles.

At some point, the woman noticed her handbag was missing and she contacted a store employee. Police said at about the same time, another store employee reported a man running from the store. A surveillance camera captured the actual theft on video, police said.

After wrapping up the investigation at the store, the investigating officer left the store and about a block away she saw the theft suspect standing on the corner of A St. and 2nd St. The man was holding a wallet and appeared to be looking through it, police said.

The officer stopped her car and attempted to detain the suspect, but he ran off toward the downtown area, police said. Other officers responded and were able to find the suspect, identified as Neil Joseph Colvin, 27, of San Rafael.

Colvin was booked on charges of grand theft, resisting arrest and violating probation. The woman's property was recovered and returned to her.

Colvin was no longer listed on the jail's in-custody booking log Friday morning.