Police: Teenasked girl to drive him to Walgreens, snatched woman’s purse

Las Cruces Police arrested a teenager accused of snatching a purse from a 60-year-old woman outside a Walgreens.

19-year-old Richard Gerald Kimpel III, of the 2200 block of Stone Pine Drive, is charged with a third-degree felony count of robbery.

Police were dispatched to the report of a strong-arm robbery outside the Walgreens at 1256 El Paseo Road at about 7 p.m. Monday, March 26, 2018.

The officers learned a young man wearing a hoodie and a “fancy gold watch” was seen outside the store, near a Red Box video rental kiosk.

Witnesses told police they saw the man run toward a woman who had just exited the store, and forcefully rip the purse away from her.

The suspect was seen leaving the scene in a gray Mitsubishi Eclipse heading west on Idaho Avenue toward Main Street.

A police officer spotted the Eclipse heading south on Main Street. The officer pulled the vehicle over and Kimpel was identified as the vehicle’s driver.

Investigators learned Kimpel asked a friend, a 15-year-old girl, to drive his vehicle to an area near the Walgreens and wait for him while he entered the store to use the restroom.

When Kimpel returned to the vehicle, he jumped into the passenger seat and ordered the girl to drive off, police said. The girl told police she noticed Kimpel carrying a purse when he returned to the car.

The girl said she argued with Kimpel and pulled over. At that point, Kimpel got behind the wheel and continued driving until the vehicle was pulled over by the police officer.

Investigators recovered the 60-year-old woman’s purse and its belongings inside Kimpel’s vehicle. Kimpel was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center where he is initially being held without bond.

Police said charges against the girl are possible.