ROYAL OAK, Mich. – A Troy man was arrested last weekend after he stole a woman’s purse at a Royal Oak store and tried to flee police, officials said.
Royal Oak police were called around 5 p.m. March 19 to the Kroger at 2200 East 12 Mile Road, they said. A woman told them that someone had stolen her purse.
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Officers spotted Lloyd James Austin, 62, of Troy, as he tried to flee the area in a vehicle, they said. He was taken into custody after losing control of the vehicle in the area of 13 Mile and Crooks roads, according to authorities.
Police said they found the woman’s purse and suspected narcotic paraphernalia inside Austin’s vehicle.
Investigators later determined that Austin had taken the purse from an unattended shopping cart inside the store. No weapon was implied or seen, officials said.
Nobody was injured, according to police.
Austin is charged with larceny in a building and third-degree fleeing and eluding. The larceny charge carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison, and the fleeing and eluding charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Austin has a criminal history that includes felon in possession of a controlled substance, second-degree criminal sexual conduct, domestic violence, breaking and entering, second-degree home invasion and larceny.
He was arraigned Tuesday (March 22) in 44th District Court and given a $100,000 bond, no 10%.
The next court date is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. April 1.