Good Samaritan Injured by Purse Snatcher in Long Beach

A Good Samaritan in Long Beach was injured after he and a co-worker pinned down a purse snatcher that had stolen from a 58-year old woman last week.

Scott Beaubien and Mariano Bejarano took immediate action when the thief knocked the elderly woman to the ground and dragged her several feet to snatch her purse. Their efforts proved beneficial in helping police capture a suspect that is now facing felony crimes.

The incident took place on Oct. 25th when Beaubien was training Bejarano, the new driver for the Salvation Army, when shrieks and screams for help grabbed their attention followed by a man sprinting down Cherry Avenue near Del Amo Boulevard with a purse in his hand.

“I put on my air brakes and hopped out of my truck and gave chase,” Beaubien told Press-Telegram Long Beach. “It was just a split-second decision.”

Beaubien jettisoned out of his truck and his new co-worker followed to cover his back. They managed to wrestle the strong-arm robber to the ground but not after being bitten and roughed up a bit until the police arrived.

“The police were there pretty quick, in about two minutes,” Beaubien said. This quick response by the authorities kept personal injury to a minimum.

Both Good Samaritans had found themselves at the scene of the robbery after visiting a drop-off location near the Buy Low Warehouse at 4700 Cherry Ave. at about 11:45 a.m., when the incident occurred.

Police reports allege that Elliott Barlow, 33-years-old from Long Beach, was arrested without further incident upon the officer’s arrival at the scene. When he attacked the woman he dragged her several feet before she let go of her purse that was tucked and strapped around her arm.

“The jackass dragged that poor woman about 10 feet and she was just beside herself,” Beaubien said. He later learned that the victim was less than one week into her single mastectomy recuperation.

When questioned about what prompted Beaubien to go after the attacker and risk personal injury, he told the publication that if someone attempted to injure his mother and take away her purse, he would want someone else to do the same especially because she is elderly and was diagnosed with stage four throat cancer.

According to court records, the robber had an extensive criminal background and is going to be held without bail for breaking his probation.

Contact a Long Beach Injury lawyer free of charge if you have been hurt by a purse snatcher today! You may be entitled to compensation.

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