Deputies: Men chase down purse snatcher in Immokalee

Writer: Derrick Shaw
Published: Updated:
Ricardo Garcia Silva (Credit: CCSO booking photo)

A Collier County man was arrested after deputies say he was chased down by three men after he snatched a woman’s purse from her while she waiting at a bus stop.

It happened Saturday morning along Colorado Avenue in Immokalee.

The Collier County Sheriff’s Office says the elderly victim was sitting at a bus stop when a man, identified as Ricardo Garcia Silva, ran up to her and grabbed her purse. As he ran off, the victim cried for help and was heard by three nearby men who took off after Silva. He didn’t get far: The men stopped him after he jumped a fence in the backyard of a nearby house and held him until deputies arrived.

Deputies say Silva stated he didn’t take anything from the purse, but the victim’s cell phone was found a few feet away from the bus stop. Nothing else was missing from the purse, according to the report.

The arrest report states Silva asked if he could apologize to the victim, but the redacted report does not say whether he was allowed to.

Silva, 33, is facing a charge of robbery by sudden snatching and remains in the Collier County Jail.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.