Alleged Purse Snatcher Caught in South End

A Roxbury man was arrested Friday morning in the South End after allegedly snatching a woman’s purse and then pretending to help police officers track down the robber. 

According to a report, a woman standing near the intersection of Columbus Ave. and Dartmouth St. around 2:15 a.m. on Friday claimed to have been robbed of her purse by two men who fled the area on foot. Police searched the area and located 21-year-old Jeffrey Jones and a friend just a few blocks away, “sweating and breathing heavily.” 

When questioned, Jones and his friend claimed to have been chasing the man responsible for the theft. They were released by police after giving their information.

But police trailed Jones to Clarendon Street, where they observed him looking underneath a parked car before quickly walking away, according to a report. When police checked beneath the car, they found a black handgun.

Jones was apprehended and charged with unarmed robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm. He was positively identified by the victimand police are continuing to investigate the second suspect.