A Boston man already guilty of vandalism and breaking into cars has now been accused of snatching purses while he’s on GPS-monitored probation for his earlier crimes.
“We know that a disproportionately small sector of the population drives a disproportionately high percentage of crimes. Our neighborhoods feel the impact of these repeat offenders,” Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in a statement. “I wish the victim in this incident a full recovery and I can assure her we will do everything possible to hold her assailant accountable.”
Justin Caterson, 33, was charged this week in Boston Municipal Court with crimes related to snatching the purse of a woman older than 60 as she waited for a Silver Line bus at Washington Street and William E. Mullins Way in February.
The woman complained of head pain after falling to the ground during the snatching and went to Tufts Medical Center’s emergency room for treatment. From there, her son called the police who came and spoke with the woman. She told police that her IDs, credit cards, keys and about $600 and $700 in cash were stolen.
Surveillance from the area showed two men walking by the victim at the bus stop and then returning and snatching the purse, according to the Suffolk District Attorney. Police searched the area for the man depicted in stills from the video and matched him after he was arrested for a separate purse snatching at East Berkley Street and Harrison Avenue on Feb. 25, for which he was arraigned at BMC the next day.
Caterson is scheduled to return to court on April 23 for both cases.
