Police say two Madison men targeted a 64-year-old woman in a purse snatching Saturday.

Mary Henderson says she was walking with her cane to her car early Saturday morning when a man asked to borrow her phone. Then he grabbed her purse and ran with a second suspect down Russett Rd.

"He pulled my passenger door open and all of a sudden there he was you know, 'Lady, can I use your phone?'" said Henderson. "He took both hands and scooped up and grabbed my purse and took off running."

Madison Police say those two men are 18-year-old Rudy Barlow and 20-year-old Richard Harris. One of them was caught with Henderson's credit cards in his pocket. Police found her purse in a bush, and some if it's contents in a nearby dumpster.

Henderson says she has her son and some neighbors to thank for tracking down the thieves. From her car she called for help, and her son followed the suspects. When one ran into a nearby apartment, neighbors turned him over to police.

Henderson says all of the items from her purse were found, but she's had trouble sleeping since.
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Posted Tuesday, September 4, 2012 --- 11:50 a.m.

From the Madison Police Department:

Incident Type:
Theft From Auto

Incident Date:
09/01/2012 - 9:50 AM

Address:
5800 block Russett Rd.

Arrested:
Rudy R. Barlow, age 18, Madison
Mr. Barlow was arrested for Theft.

Richard L. Harris Jr., age 20, Madison
Mr. Harris Jr. was arrested for Party To A Crime - Theft, and on a Probation Hold.

Victim:
Female, age 64, Madison

Details:
Two young thieves targeted a 64-year old woman, who normally walks with a cane, in a Saturday morning purse snatching.

The victim has just gotten into her car, which was parked outside of her residence on Russett Rd, when a young man suddenly opened her passenger door.

He said something about wanting to borrow her phone, and then grabbed her purse.

Both suspects ran.

The woman's son came to her aid, got into her car and chased after the suspects.

The thieves fled to an apartment building in the 5700 block of Russett Rd., about a block away from the crime.

Both were arrested.

One, Mr. Barlow listed above, had one of the victim's credit cards in his pocket.

Her purse was found behind a bush, and some of its contents were discovered in a garbage dumpster.

The other arrested teen, Mr. Harris, said he and his friend saw that the woman was having a hard time walking to her car, and that it was his friend’s idea to make her a target and steal her purse.