A Taholah man who witnessed a purse snatching inside WalMart in Aberdeen Sunday chased and tackled the thief and detained him until police arrived.

Dennis Narron, 28, was instrumental in thwarting the robbery, police said. Just after 4:15 p.m. Aberdeen officers were dispatched to the store for a report of a robbery. They arrested a 31-year old Hoquiam man who had been detained by Narron.

A 60-year old Ocean Shores woman was near the back of the store when she saw the suspect grab her purse, which was sitting in her shopping cart. She grabbed the purse trying to prevent the theft, and the suspect yanked it from her grasp, ripping the strap off.

In the process, the victim tumbled to the ground and yelled, “He took my purse!” Narron chased the man, who was running for the front of the store, tackled him and held him until officers arrived.

The suspect is currently held in the Grays Harbor County Jail pending second degree robbery charges.

The Aberdeen Police Department recommends against placing purses on the top seat area of shopping carts. Theft of contents or the entire purse can occur within seconds when the unsuspecting shopper turns her back to grab something from a shelf.