Courtesy photo/VCBJ.
Matheu Laurrell, 26, was arrested Wednesday on car burglary charges and armed robbery with a knife in an Edgewater purse snatching. He's also been named a "person of interest" in the purse snatching of an elderly woman in New Smyrna Beach outside the Walgreens pharmacy two days earlier, according to Edgewater police.
EDGEWATER -- The man seen on a surveillance video outsdide the New Smyrna Beach Walgreens pharmacy after Monday's alleged purse snatching of a 77-year-old woman, has confessed to that crime as well as a second purse snatching and a car break-in Edgewater police said.
An alert neighbor called the cops 9:23 a.m. Wednesday after confronting 26-year-old Matheu Laurrell breaking into into a motor vehicle on South Ridgewood Avenue, which led to his apprehension minutes later at the nearby Majik Mark, Edgewater police said.
Laurrell was questioned and named as a "person of interest" in the purse snatching the day before of an elderly woman outside a New Smyrna Beach pharmacy, and now it's up to New Smyrna Beach police whether to charge him.
Edgewater Patrol Sgt. Robert Hazelwood arrested Laurrell on the car break-in and took him into custody. Police investigator Gary Conroy interviewed Laurrell, and his girlfriend Sarah Sheppard.
Laurrell, confessed to committing the Walgreens robbery, and confessed to a robbery/purse snatching that had occurred a couple days before, in which the victim's purse strap was cut to gain access to the purse. For that he was charged with armed robbery with a knife.
Sheppard confessed to providing Laurrell with transportation out of the area when the robberies occurred, with the intent to assist him with the robberies, Edgewater police said, and was charged as an accessory to robbery.
During the time of the interview, the two told investigators they were motivated by the need to get money to feed their addiction to prescription medications, namely Roxycodone, a pain-killing narcotic.
The victims of both robberies were elderly women, which carries enhanced penalties for the charges.
Laurrell was charged with armed robbery in Edgewater, due to the fact he used a knife to cut the purse off of the unsuspecting victim, police said.
Laurrell also had in his possession stolen property that had been taken during a residential burglary. The burglary had occurred the previous evening, and is still under investigation, police said.
Further charges may be pending. During Laurrell’s confession, he provided information that led to the recovery of the purse of victim of the robbery in Edgewater in a dumpster at a local business, police said.
Laurrell is being held on $1,000 bail at the Volusia County Branch Jail.