Palatine man held for attempted purse snatching

A Cook County judge set bail at $80,000 for a man authorities say tried to grab a Palatine woman's purse.

However, even if he were to come up with the required 10 percent cash bond, Efrain Juarez, of the 100 block of Palatine Road in Palatine, won't be leaving Cook County Jail anytime soon. Juarez, who has a drug case pending in Rolling Meadows' Third Municipal District, was out on bond for that felony when authorities say the attempted purse snatching occurred. Prosecutors responded by filing a petition to violate his bail bond and requesting he be held without bail.

The victim was on the phone with her mother as she returned home during the early morning hours of June 27 when police say the 24-year-old Juarez ran up behind her and grabbed her Coach purse. He dragged the victim several feet, causing bruises and lacerations, said Cmdr. Kurt Schroeder of the Palatine police department. Juarez then ran away while the woman ran inside to call police, Schroeder said.

The victim's father observed Juarez running. The father then got into his car and drove around looking for the defendant, whom he found about a block from the scene and detained until police arrived, Schroeder said.

Police charged Juarez with robbery, battery and unlawful possession of cannabis, which police recovered from the defendant's pocket, Schroeder said.

At the defendant's bond hearing Monday in Rolling Meadows, Assistant State's Attorney Ryan Whitney informed the court that Juarez was out on bond after being charged with the manufacture or delivery of 900 or more grams of cocaine, slightly less than two pounds, a super class X felony which has a sentence range of 15 to 30 years in prison. He next appears in court July 16 on that charge.

Juarez's background includes supervision for a misdemeanor battery in 2006 and a 2005 conviction for the misdemeanor charge of driving without a valid license.

Juarez next appears in court on the robbery charge on July 28.