SHENANDOAH - A man told authorities that he stole a woman's purse in Shenandoah on Sunday to feed his drug habit.
Bobby Lee Taylor, 20, who has no fixed address, was arraigned on felony charges of robbery with force, theft and receiving stolen property. He was arraigned by on-call Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Pottsville, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post 10 percent of $25,000 bail.
Shenandoah police Patrolman Travis Bowman charged Taylor after an incident that occurred at 12:40 p.m. in the parking lot of the Rite Aid store, 15 S. Main St.
At the scene, Bowman said he spoke to the victim who said a man wearing a camouflage jacket and yellow hoodie stole her purse out of the car she was in and ran through the rear parking lot of National Penn Bank.
Bowman said officers found a jacket and hoodie to the rear of 13 N. Main St. that matched the description and proceeded to knock on doors in the area searching for the man. Bowman said a blue purse was also found behind rubbish under a wall in the area.
Bowman said a man identified as Luis Ramos left 13 N. Main St. and told officers he did not answer the door earlier because he was on probation. Ramos, Bowman said, reported that the man police were looking for was in his apartment and identified him as Bobby, Bobby Taylor.
Ramos also gave permission to enter his apartment to look for Taylor, saying he was on probation and did not need the trouble.
Bowman said he went into the apartment and found Taylor sitting on a couch, and that after being asked the man willingly left the apartment.
After being told about the investigation into the purse theft, Bowman said Taylor initially denied his involvement in the crime, but a moment later sighed and said, "I took the purse."
The victim saw Taylor and identified him as the person who stole her purse, Bowman said.
At the police station later, Bowman said Taylor called the crime an act of impulse. He told police he walked by the woman's car, saw the purse and took it because he was feeding a marijuana and bath salt habit.
