FLATIRON — A hapless purse snatcher was arrested when he ran straight into a group of plainclothes officers shortly after a robbing a woman, according to the NYPD.
Bryan Fuge, 33, began following his victim as the woman walked along a dimly lit strip of East 23rd Street between Madison Avenue and Park Avenue South at 9:16 p.m. on Oct. 17, police said.
Fuge charged at the victim, grabbed her purse by breaking its straps and fled, according to a police report.
But before he could make it far, Fuge ran into four plainclothes officers, who identified themselves and ordered him to stop. Instead of following their instructions, Fuge let out a yell, lowered his shoulder and tried to barge past the officers, police said.
One officer managed to get his hands on Fuge, who continued to lash out and writhe in an attempt to escape, all while still clutching the stolen purse, according to a criminal complaint.
Fuge, who was on parole, was charged with robbery, criminal possession of stolen property and resisting arrest, according to the complaint. A judge ordered him held on $20,000 bail and he is due back in court on Oct. 23, according to prosecutors.
A lawyer for Fuge did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
