2 charged in Walmart purse snatching; Victim dragged across parking lot

WEST MELBOURNE, Fla. — Police are expected to file charges against a driver they said snatched a woman’s purse in West Melbourne and then dragged the victim 150 feet across a parking lot.

The robbery happened about 7:30 p.m. at the Walmart along Palm Bay Road, police said.

The victim, a 53-year-old woman, was loading her vehicle when a van approached and circled around her. Police said a passenger in the van then grabbed the woman’s purse as the driver sped away.

The victim held on to the purse and was dragged across the parking lot, police said. She was not seriously hurt.

Later in the night, police spotted a vehicle matching the same description and stopped it in West Melbourne and took Angela Siewert, 34, of Palm Bay, into custody.

Siewert was jailed on an outstanding warrant.

On Thursday, police arrested Michelle Welling, 52, in connection with the case.  She and Siewert have been charged with robbery, among other charges.

Police said they hope to make more arrests in the case soon.

WFTV