LOMBARD PURSE-SNATCHER GETS 10 YEARS

WHEATON - DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett announced today that thirty year-old Donald Brown (d.o.b. 8/29/1978) of 890 Foxworth Blvd., Lombard, was sentenced this morning to ten years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for stealing purses from two elderly women on two separate occasions as they returned home from grocery shopping.  On May 5, 2009, Brown entered a blind plea of guilty to two separate counts of Aggravated Robbery of a Person Over the Age of 60 in front of Judge Perry Thompson who handed down the sentence.

            Today’s sentence stems from allegations that on February 14, 2009, Brown followed his 78 year-old female victim home from a Glen Ellyn grocery store.  As the victim was preparing to enter her home, Brown snatched her purse and in doing so, knocked her to the ground causing slight injuries. Brown was picked up a short time later by Glen Ellyn Police.  Through their investigation police identified another victim of Brown’s.  In this instance, which occurred on February 9, 2009, Brown followed his 82 year-old female victim home from the same grocery store and snatched her purse as she was preparing to enter her home.  The victim in this case also sustained minor injuries after Brown knocked her to the ground.   

          “Mr. Brown chose his victims carefully,” remarked Birkett.  “He waited for elderly, defenseless women to leave the grocery store.  He followed them home and when the opportunity presented itself, he stole from them.  I believe that Judge Thompson’s sentence demonstrates that this type of attack on our elderly population will not be tolerated and will carry significant consequences.  I would like to thank Assistant State’s Attorney Jim Scaliatine for his efforts in ensuring that Mr. Brown will be unable to prey upon some of society’s most vulnerable citizens for a long time to come.”

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