Published: July 11, 2009 09:25 am      

Police arrest two women for stealing purses as victims left Beckley stores

Beckley Police say two women who allegedly stole purses from customers exiting local Wal-Mart and Kroger stores were placed behind bars Friday afternoon.

According to Detective Sgt. David Allard, Traci Denise Southard, 41, of Glen Daniel, and Kathy Anne Rollins, 43, of the Surveyor-Eccles area, were both taken into police custody Friday.

Southard was charged with two counts of first-degree robbery and conspiracy for allegedly stealing purses from customers exiting both Wal-Mart and Kroger stores. Rollins was charged with one count of first-degree robbery and conspiracy in relation to the Wal-Mart incident.

Around 6 p.m. Tuesday, Rollins allegedly drove a car alongside a 32-year-old woman who was exiting Beckley Wal-Mart, while Southard rode in the passenger seat.

Allard says Rollins spoke to the victim while the victim walked to her car. When the woman placed her purse on the passenger seat, Southard jumped out of the car and stole it.

The victim and Southard entered into a struggle over the purse, and a bystander who noticed the struggle helped the victim get the purse away from Southard, Allard said.

Southard and Rollins fled in the vehicle, but were later arrested by the Oak Hill and Mount Hope police departments for the same type of crime, Allard said. Information on those charges was unavailable Friday evening.

Southard was arraigned by Magistrate Steve Massie and is being held at Southern Regional Jail under $250,000 bond.

Rollins is being held on $100,000 bond.

Allard says further charges are pending on additional suspects.

Anyone with information in relation to these incidents is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 304-255-STOP.

’ E-mail: jayres@register-herald.com