Good Samaritan tackles purse theft suspect

A purse snatching on Elgin's west side Thursday afternoon was thwarted by at least two men who knocked the suspect to the ground and held him until police arrived.

"I'm glad there were some Good Samaritans who were able to help her," said Donna Kroc, owner of Donna's Hallmark, 14 Tyler Creek Plaza.

Humberto Romero, 23, of the 300 block of Summit Avenue, was arrested in connection with the theft, Elgin Police spokeswoman Ann Dinges said.

"There were some citizens who had actually chased the suspect and grabbed him," Dinges said.

Dinges said police were called at 1:30 p.m. to the parking lot at the northeast corner of Big Timber and McLean Boulevard for a theft in progress.

"I did observe and hear a woman screaming and saw her and another person scuffling," said Kroc, who called 911. "She was just yelling 'Stop him.'"

The screaming drew the attention of David Bruce, a 43-year-old East Dundee musician who was making a bank deposit nearby.

Bruce said he saw a man in a red van driving after the suspect in the parking lot and decided to give chase as well.

"I yelled 'Stop, I don't want to hurt you' and he just kept running," said Bruce, who added he also stopped a purse theft when he was 19.

Finally, the driver used his van to bump the suspect into the broad side of a semi-tractor trailer.

Bruce tackled the man and with the van owner's help detained him until two police cars and an SUV arrived.

Bruce returned the purse to the woman, who was not injured.