Man Charged With Snatching Purse From Woman, 75

Groton police arrested man for stealing a 75-year-old woman’s purse at a business on Route 12 on Monday.

According to a police department news release, Thomas W. Walders, 37, of no known address, also assaulted officers while they were booking him.

At about 3:30 p.m., police responded to a report of a purse snatching at a business on Route 12, the news release said.

“Upon arrival the victim, a 75-year-old female, stated the suspect forcefully took her purse from her arm and ran towards a local motel,” the release said.

Walders is charged with third-degree robbery, second-degree larceny, breach of peace, assaulting an officer, interfering with an officer, second-degree threatening, second-degree assault of an elderly person, and three counts of failure to submit to finger prints, the news release said.

He appeared in New London Superior Court on a $250,000 bond Tuesday morning.

Walders also has outstanding arrest warrants from other police departments totaling $285,000 in bonds, the news release said.