Brewer man charged in purse theft

A Brewer man was arrested Thursday afternoon after allegedly snatching a woman’s billfold outside a Brewer supermarket Thursday.

Ralph Waters, 52, was apprehended in front of Paradis IGA on North Main Street and identified by an employee as the individual that grabbed a 67-year-old Brewer woman’s billfold containing an unknown amount of money.

Officer Peter Rancourt of the Brewer Police Department was notified of a purse snatching a little before 3 p.m. It was reported that the man was driving an older model red Ford Bronco upon leaving the IGA. Rancourt pulled over a Ford Bronco containing two males, including Waters in the passenger seat, at the North Entrance of the IGA Plaza.

Waters was promptly charged with theft as his description met the one given by the victim and employees of Paradis IGA. The driver was not charged with anything and was released a short time later.

The billfold was not recovered, Rancourt said. The Brewer Police Department was planning on reviewing surveillance tapes of Paradis IGA.