Happy Ending to Purse Snatching

Happy Ending to Purse Snatching

Welcome to Christianity Oasis. This is Happy Ending to Purse Snatching from our Sojourn With Luz Leigh Collection. We hope you enjoy this enlightening reading and it helps you on your own be-YOU-tiful Christian walk.

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Sojourn With Luz Leigh

Happy Ending to Purse Snatching

Written by Luz Leigh - 10 May 2008

The day began like any other normal Thursday, but before bedtime my world would be a much changed place. The "8" on the calendar was in red, denoting something important had taken place on this date. The notation said "VE Day" ... the day victory in Europe was declared in World War II. Then I had noted MOW; 2:15 read 2nd grade; play at school. MOW indicated I had to be at City Hall at 10:30 a.m. to load the hot meals in my car and make rounds to feed the hungry. Thus Meals On Wheels. Play at school indicated my grandson would be participating in an American Heritage play at this school at 6:30.

We would be finished with MOWing by noon allowing plenty of time for me to return home, prepare a bite of lunch, assemble the antique items I would need for my presentation at the elementary school. For a number of years I have been privileged to speak to the youngsters about the history of our little town. When I began this back in 1998, the joke was they looked for the oldest person around and there I was. The presentation went well and by 3:30 p.m. I was leaving the campus.

Because my cupboard was bare, I decided to go to the nearby city to grocery shop. So far the day has been a busy one for me; nothing out of the ordinary, but that would soon change. I had my grocery shopping list prepared on my pre-printed form ... under produce the fresh veggies and fruit I needed; under canned goods, likewise. There are sections for fresh or frozen meats; household items such as laundry detergent, bleach, etc., then paper goods. All neatly broken into various categories.

All went well. I found what I needed, wrote my check, placed my sacks in the shopping cart and exited the store. Just after doing so, I met a friend whom I had not seen in a several months, so we stopped to talk a few minutes. Biggest mistake of the day; maybe of my life. As we were talking, we were aware that a truck had pulled into the lane where we were standing. Assuming he was waiting for a parking spot to become available, we paid no attention to him. Second mistake. My friend and I hugged and bid each other goodbye. She headed toward the store; I toward my car. It was at that moment I realized the truck was moving really close to me and I felt an arm brush against my right shoulder, at the same instant I saw the arm extend from the driver's side of the pickup truck and grab my purse. Another mistake. Ordinarily I secure my purse in the shopping cart with the "baby" strap but I had released it as I exited the store. Upon snatching my purse, the young man stepped on the gas and sped away ... and I do mean sped. He had what appeared to be a washer and a dryer in the bed of the truck and when he made the turn at the end of the row of parked cars, one of the appliances fell over with a loud bang. As soon as I realized he had his hand on my purse, I began screaming, "Stop him! He stole my purse" ... over and over all the while running after the truck.

Of course, there was no way I could catch up with the truck, but in screaming and running I drew attention, and several folks were able to get a description of the truck. I had not placed my cell phone back in my purse following the last time I used it as I ordinarily do but had the phone in my jeans pocket. I quickly called 9-1-1 and reported to a most kind and understanding dispatcher what had happened. She remained on the line with me and tried to calm me down after she alerted her officers of the situation.

Numerous folks on the parking lot came to my assistance, including my friend who stayed with me until my family arrived. One young lady had jumped into her truck to try and follow the thief. The manager of the store came out almost immediately because one of the store employees witnessed my running and screaming and had alerted his boss. By now I was in tears. I kept repeating, "Just take the money and toss my purse where it can be found."

The dispatcher had agreed to call my son who is in law enforcement and was nearby. He called me to ask if I was hurt; told him no, but when I heard his voice I really began to cry. He assured me he was only minutes away. Sure enough I soon saw his patrol car come in view with those familiar red and blue lights flashing. Shortly before arriving at the parking lot where I was awaiting his arrival, he phoned to say "They have your purse." I think he told me they had the perpetrator, as well, but all I wanted to hear was that my purse was in the possession of the police.

After spotting the truck and giving chase, two of the city police officers apprehended the thief, and retrieved my purse, (which he meekly handed out the window of his truck after the officers approached). They recovered my cash which the man had removed from my purse and placed in his pants pocket.

By this time my older son was there with me as well as my new daughter-in-law and her little girl. "Welcome to the family."

The officers pulled into the parking lot next to my son's patrol car where I was seated. One officer handed me my purse and asked me to see if anything besides the cash was missing. After looking through it, I told the officer everything seemed to be there.

After taking a statement from me, the police handed me my money, all neatly packaged in a ziplock baggie. I was free to return home, except we had to retrieve my cart full of groceries. The manager of the store had instructed one of his employees to take the cart and place it in the cooler where my meats and veggies would not spoil while we waited for the outcome of the purse snatching.

Now let's go back and review my day and see how the hand of the Lord was on me all the way. One of our MOW clients, who is an alcoholic, had been served eviction papers that morning. A police officer was positioned on the parking lot near his apartment in case there was a problem; the man did not answer the door so we proceeded to the next apartment.

The Lord led my friend to shop at about the same I did so she was there to stand with me and give comfort; my cell phone was in my pocket and not in the stolen purse; both of my sons were very close by and could reach me within minutes; the witnesses who helped me give a clear description of the pickup; the officers somehow knowing which section of town to proceed to; the return of my purse, including my cash; and most of all, I was not harmed physically during the incident. Emotionally, it is taking a little longer to get over this.

My sons told me that with the purse NOT being strapped into the cart that may have saved me from injury or even death. Since I was holding to the cart, had the purse been secured to the cart when the thief grabbed the strap, it could have easily caused the cart to flip, causing me to fall under the truck's wheels. Maybe what I thought had been a stupid mistake was guidance from our Father; His way of protecting me.

I am so thankful that none of the other shoppers or I were not injured when he sped so fast through the parking lot. The money and all the other items in my purse could be replaced ... a life can not.

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