Man, woman charged in W.Va. purse snatchings

December 31, 2003|by CANDICE BOSELY

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Two people were arraigned on robbery charges Monday night after a woman was knocked to the ground and her purse stolen, according to court records.

Dennis Dwayne Butts II, 27, and Amy Gennell Dolly, 24, both of 298 Calvary Hill in Hedgesville, W.Va., each were charged with one felony count of robbery.

West Virginia State Police Trooper J.C. Weaver, who investigated the case, said a woman approached the victim at around 8 p.m. on Dec. 2 at the TA Truck Stop in Spring Mills, W.Va.

The woman, who knew the victim, tried to grab the victim's purse, but the victim would not let go, police said.

The woman then called to a man, who knocked the woman to the ground and grabbed the purse, which contained $250, a ruby and diamond bracelet worth around $200 and various forms of ID, Weaver said.

Six days later, on Dec. 8, Trooper John Droppleman became involved in a pursuit with two people who had tried to steal a woman's purse from the parking lot at Lowe's on Apple Harvest Drive, court records allege. The car that Droppleman was pursuing crashed and both people inside fled on foot, police said. Droppleman recognized one of the people in the car as Butts, court records allege.

Police found some of the victim's belongings inside the car, records state.

Conviction of a charge of robbery carries a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.

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