Yesterday afternoon around 1:30PM, plain-clothes officers from District D-4 (South End) were on patrol in an unmarked car in the area of Westland when they observed a man walking down Westland St. with a black jacket over his forearm. Officers continued to monitor this man as he walked and observed him walk into a small walkway leading to the front entrance of 16-20 Westland Street. Once at the front of the entrance, officers observed the man look around as if to ensure that he was alone, and then reach under the jacket on his forearm and pull out a green woman’s handbag. The suspect then threw the handbag into some bushes lining the side of the walkway and walk away.
Having this observed this clearly suspicious behavior, officers walked over to where the suspect had thrown the bag and retrieved it. On inspection of the bag, officers noted that the bag identification belonging to a woman. Once this was discovered, officers broadcast what they had observed and requested the assistance of nearby units to assist in stopping the suspect to further investigate. The suspect, who had entered the Whole Foods, upon exiting and seeing officers took off running but was caught after a brief pursuit. Once officers caught the suspect, through investigation determined that the owner of the bag was still sitting at a table eating inside the Whole Foods. The bag was returned to the victim and the suspect placed under arrest.

At the booking desk, officers found an I-Phone on the suspect’s person which was determined to belong to another victim who reported that her handbag was stolen from the back of her chair on 5/10/11 around 1:20PM while she was eating at the Cactus Club.

The suspect, John Drayton, 48 of Boston was arrested and charged with two counts of Larceny from a Person, Receiving Stolen Property and Possession of Class B after drugs were also found on his person during the booking process.

Yesterday afternoon around 1:30PM, plain-clothes officers from District D-4 (South End) were on patrol in an unmarked car in the area of Westland when they observed a man walking down Westland St. with a black jacket over his forearm. Officers continued to monitor this man as he walked and observed him walk into a small walkway leading to the front entrance of 16-20 Westland Street. Once at the front of the entrance, officers observed the man look around as if to ensure that he was alone, and then reach under the jacket on his forearm and pull out a green woman’s handbag. The suspect then threw the handbag into some bushes lining the side of the walkway and walk away.
Having this observed this clearly suspicious behavior, officers walked over to where the suspect had thrown the bag and retrieved it. On inspection of the bag, officers noted that the bag identification belonging to a woman. Once this was discovered, officers broadcast what they had observed and requested the assistance of nearby units to assist in stopping the suspect to further investigate. The suspect, who had entered the Whole Foods, upon exiting and seeing officers took off running but was caught after a brief pursuit. Once officers caught the suspect, through investigation determined that the owner of the bag was still sitting at a table eating inside the Whole Foods. The bag was returned to the victim and the suspect placed under arrest.

At the booking desk, officers found an I-Phone on the suspect’s person which was determined to belong to another victim who reported that her handbag was stolen from the back of her chair on 5/10/11 around 1:20PM while she was eating at the Cactus Club.

The suspect, John Drayton, 48 of Boston was arrested and charged with two counts of Larceny from a Person, Receiving Stolen Property and Possession of Class B after drugs were also found on his person during the booking process.