By John Howell
Batesville police are reviewing store security videotape following a brazen Sunday afternoon purse grab in the Kroger parking lot at 110 Keating Road.

The victim had finished shopping and was unloading the contents of her cart into the back of her vehicle when the suspect’s vehicle pulled up beside her. A suspect, described to BPD Lieutenant John Miller as a “young black male,” according to his report, jumped from the passenger door and grabbed the purse which the victim had placed in the child’s seat of the cart and then jumped back into the car.

The suspect’s car exited the parking lot toward the back of the store, and entered Lakewood Drive.

Information provided to the police department led them to believe that the suspect’s car left “eastbound on Highway 6 and possibly onto Mt. Olivet Road.” However, the vehicle was not located during a search by BPD and Panola County sheriff’s deputies.

“Be aware of your surroundings,” BPD Assistant Chief Col. Jimmy McCloud said. “If you see something, say something. I think the citizens need to know that we had a purse snatching.”

The Nicole Miller purse and the wallet it contained included a typical assortment of identifying documents including a Mississippi driver’s license, debit and credit cards and an iPhone 5.

“Attempts to locate the phone using the ‘Find My IPhone” app have not been successful, the report states.