Son thwarts would-be Mother's Day mugger

One Schaumburg teen was able to give his mom a most unusual Mother's Day gift Sunday: He returned her stolen purse.

The 44-year-old woman and her 14-year-old son had just walked out of the Schaumburg Township District Library at 7:20 that evening when a male who appeared to be in his late teens wrested the purse out of the woman's grip and ran off, according to police.

The son chased down and tackled the would-be thief in a grassy area nearby. Police said he punched the offender in the face several times before the robber got up and ran, leaving the purse behind.

The offender, who's not been caught, is described as about 5 feet 8 inches tall and 150 pounds with a bald or shaved head.

Schaumburg police Sgt. John Nebl said the library was an unusual location for such a crime, as is the entire Town Square area at the southwest corner of Schaumburg and Roselle roads.