INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Police have arrested a man accused of stealing a woman’s purse out of her cart at Publix, then snatching a second woman’s purse from her hands at the nearby Sam’s Club on Sunday.
David Gay, 62, of 535 Plymouth Street, Vero Beach, is facing two felony robbery/purse snatching charges and a misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia charge.
Witnesses reported seeing Gay steal the first victim’s purse out of her cart as she was ordering from the deli counter at Publix. Gay then fled the store with the woman’s purse tucked under his shirt, according to the report.
A second set of witnesses observed Gay attempt to take an elderly woman’s purse out of her hands in the parking lot at Sam’s Club in the 5500 block of State Road 60, authorities said.
Witnesses stepped in to defend the victim at Sam’s Club, and the defendant walked away, according to the police report.
The second victim told police she felt Gay may have tried to hurt her if the witnesses did not intervene, the report shows.
Police found Gay hiding behind hedges near the shopping plaza with the contents of the first victim’s purse scattered in the immediate area.
Gay was found in possession of drug paraphernalia believed to be used for smoking cocaine. He told authorities he committed the robberies to financially support his drug habit and that he knew his actions were wrong, according to the arrest affidavit.
Gay is being held in the Indian River County Jail in lieu of $20,000 bond.
