Suspect Apprehended in Giant Purse Snatching

Five days after the mother of a UMW senior was robbed at the Giant in Eagle Village, a suspect was found and arrested in Arlington by members of the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force.

David Lyons, 50, was arrested on Sept. 30 in connection with the grocery store purse snatching that occurred Saturday, Sept. 25, according to Fredericksburg Police Department Public Information Officer Natatia Bledsoe.

The suspect’s vehicle, a gold Cadillac sedan, was located in front of an apartment complex in Arlington, Bledsoe said.  The vehicle is registered to a female who recently moved into the complex.

Lyons answered the door and surrendered to officials without incident, according to Bledsoe.  Detectives Doug Perkins and Tim Garrett then carried out a search warrant and collected evidence at the residence.

Bledsoe said Lyons has been charged with one count of felony robbery and is currently incarcerated at the Rappahannock Regional Jail.  He could not be reached for comment.

The robbery took place in the early afternoon of Sept. 25. The mother of Taylor Parker, a senior at UMW, was visiting for Family Weekend when she was attacked while entering Giant, the store in Eagle Village.  The suspect fled the scene with the victim’s purse.

A Giant employee who witnessed the attack was able to follow the suspect out to the parking lot and give a description of the vehicle and its license plate number to the Fredericksburg police.

There is no evidence connecting Lyons to any other crimes in Fredericksburg, according to Bledsoe.