Man tries to steal 88-year-old woman's purse, bystanders fight him off

WARREN, Mich. (WJBK) - A man who thought an elderly woman was apparently an easy target may not have been counting on the two bystanders who jumped in. An elderly woman was attacked in the parking lot of a Warren grocery store. First he shoved her down, then he stole her purse. Then two witnesses came to her aid.

The incident happened in the middle of the day inside the Oak Ridge Market on Ryan Road when an 88-year-old woman was attacked. Police said she had just been dropped off at the market on February 26 when she was shoved to the ground and the man stole her purse and tried to run off.

"He ran up to her, knocked her down, and grabbed her purse off her arm," Mayor Jim Fouts said. "Something against seniors is intolerable and unthinkable and we're going to make sure that person gets the maximum time in jail."

The man didn't get far, however, as two bystanders jumped in to help to stop the suspected thief and get the woman's purse back. Mayor Fouts said an employee and a customer were the ones on the scene.

"The shoper ran at him and chased him away from her. Then the employee followed him out and grabbed the purse out of the Dodge sedan that he was driving," Fouts said.

The man, 44-year-old Steven Boyd, was later arrested and has been charged with unarmed robbery and assault and battery.

The victim had an injured shoulder and hip and is going to need surgery to have it repaired.

Warren police arrested Boyd shortly after. He is being held at the Macomb county jail on a $250,000 bond.

The elderly woman is out of surgery but is recovering form her injuries.