July 1st, 2001, 03:44 PM
DUNEDIN -- A teen snatched the purse of a 79-year-old nun wearing her habit, pocketed $50 and ditched the purse, then flagged down a car to hitch a ride, police said.
Unlucky for him, an ex-trooper stopped to give him a lift.
The 17-year-old has been charged with petty theft following the Friday purse snatching. The teen's name was not made available.
The juvenile asked retired New York State trooper John Coyne for a ride to a motel. Coyne thought he seemed in a hurry. Coyne had seen deputies pull up to the shopping center when he stopped for the youth. He became suspicious.
The 56-year-old retired trooper took the teen-ager to the motel, then went back to the scene and told deputies. Officers went to the motel and arrested him.
"It's just one of those cop things," said Pinellas County Sheriff's spokesman Cal Dennie. "This guy wanted to get out of the area fast."
Dennie said the nun, Mary Hoguet, was not injured. Deputies recovered the purse, but not the wallet or money. The teen is from nearby Safety Harbor.
"Anybody that steals from a nun needs to be caught," Dennie said. "It was a blessed ending."
Unlucky for him, an ex-trooper stopped to give him a lift.
The 17-year-old has been charged with petty theft following the Friday purse snatching. The teen's name was not made available.
The juvenile asked retired New York State trooper John Coyne for a ride to a motel. Coyne thought he seemed in a hurry. Coyne had seen deputies pull up to the shopping center when he stopped for the youth. He became suspicious.
The 56-year-old retired trooper took the teen-ager to the motel, then went back to the scene and told deputies. Officers went to the motel and arrested him.
"It's just one of those cop things," said Pinellas County Sheriff's spokesman Cal Dennie. "This guy wanted to get out of the area fast."
Dennie said the nun, Mary Hoguet, was not injured. Deputies recovered the purse, but not the wallet or money. The teen is from nearby Safety Harbor.
"Anybody that steals from a nun needs to be caught," Dennie said. "It was a blessed ending."