Witnesses help police catch a man who stole a woman's purse at Kroger in Vinton

VINTON (WSLS 10) - A Roanoke City man was arrested after being accused of robbing a woman at the Kroger on Hardy Road in Vinton Monday night.

Vinton police said a victim had unlocked her vehicle and was loading her groceries when a man walked up to her cart and grabbed her purse. She said she grabbed the strap and tried to pull the purse away from him, but lost her grasp and the he started running.

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Police said there were several witnesses in the area who chased the suspect. As they crossed Hardy Rd., the suspect told them he had a gun, so they abandoned the chase. 

The suspect dropped the purse and kept running. 

Officers set up a perimeter catch the suspect. Several witnesses said they saw a man matching the suspect's description running into a building. 

The suspect, Robert M. Rinn,was identified and charged with robbery.