Purse-Snatch Suspects Nabbed in Reno

Turns out the Grand Am was stolen in Fortuna

Humboldt Sentinel
12/19/08
By Sentinel Staff

RENO -- The shocking assault and robbery of a 68-year-old Ferndale woman in Eureka on Monday may have been part of a multi-state crime spree, which has apparently ended with the arrest on Wednesday night of two young Humboldt County residents in Nevada.

About two hours prior to the purse-snatching in the parking lot of Ray’s Food Place on the 3400 block of Broadway in Eureka, a white 2000 Pontiac Grand Am -- the same vehicle described by the woman who was assaulted -- was stolen in Fortuna. Suspects in the auto theft were described by the Fortuna Police Department as Loleta resident Ian James Pease, 18, and Eureka resident Sarah Donne Heflin, also 18. According to Eureka Police Department officials in a release issued today, the general descriptions of the robbery suspects closely matched Pease and Heflin.

On Wednesday evening, the Reno Police Department arrested both Pease and Heflin after they allegedly robbed an 80-year-old female in their jurisdiction and attempted to flee in the vehicle that had been stolen in Fortuna. Pease and Heflin are currently in custody in Nevada on charges of robbery, possession of stolen property, and elder abuse. It is unknown when they will be extradited to the custody of local authorities, and it appears likely they will have to stand trial in Nevada first.

This apparent crime spree began Monday, when an unidentified elderly woman had walked out of the supermarket and started to put her groceries in the back seat of her SUV, when she was suddenly grabbed from behind and thrown to the ground by the suspect. The assailant pulled her purse away from her and fled on foot to a waiting vehicle. The vehicle then sped across the parking lot and had last been seen headed southbound on Broadway from Truesdale.

The suspect was described as a white male adult, late teens to early 20s, very short hair dark hair, a red and black plaid long sleeve shirt. The driver of the waiting vehicle was described as a white female adult with blond hair, late teens to early 20s in age. The waiting vehicle was described as a white 90s Pontiac Trans-Am.

This is an ongoing investigation, and anyone with information regarding these incidents is urged to contact detective-sergeant Patrick O'Neill of the EPD at (707) 441-4300.