Two arrested for stealing purse from shopping cart

A Lauderdale County man and a Dallas County woman are in custody after they were arrested Sunday night for a recent purse snatching.

Robin Shane McGee, 28, 225 Jordan Lane, Florence, and Harriet Layken Brady, 19, 373 Deer Drive, Selma, are both charged with second-degree theft and fraudulent use of a credit card, Russellville Police Chief Chris Hargett said.

According to authorities, the two defendants are accused of snatching a purse from a female victim’s shopping cart while she was shopping at a local store on Black Friday.

The defendants are then accused of using the victim’s credit card at other local businesses in Russellville and the Shoals area.

Hargett said that authorities were able to identify McGee from surveillance video they obtained from the local business where the incident occurred.

After authorities received a tip about where the two defendants were staying, they were taken into custody by the Florence Police Department Sunday night and were transported to Franklin County.

“Based on the facts of this case, we believe this isn’t the first time these two defendants have committed this type of crime,” Hargett said. “With people who are repeat offenders, it’s always good to get them off the street before someone else in the area becomes a victim.”

McGee and Brady remain in the Franklin County Jail on a $5,000 bond. However, both are being held for warrants from Dallas County for theft-related crimes.