WESTERN BUREAU:

A St Ann man accused of stealing a woman's purse while she was at a church meeting, was offered $100,000 bail in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court last week.

Welder Desburn Cole, 44, from Philadelphia, is charged with simple larceny, committed against Novelette Malcolm. He returns to court on August 28.

Allegations are that about 8:20 p.m. on July 1, Malcolm placed her purse on a bench in the church, during a meeting, when Cole came inside, grabbed the bag and fled. An alarm was raised and several church members gave chase, but Cole managed to escape. Malcolm made a report to the Mount Salem police station.

The next day, acting on information, Malcolm went to the Savanna-la-mar police station in Westmoreland and made a report. Following investigations, Cole was detained, put on an identification parade in Montego Bay, and was charged.

Cole's lawyer, Ronald Parris, made a successful bail application for his client, before presiding magistrate Carolyn Tie.

"Mr. Cole has no previous convictions. We are contesting these allegations very strongly," said Parris.

"I will offer him bail..with three sureties. He is to stay away from the civilian witnesses, and report at the Freeport police station every Tuesday and Thursday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.," said RM Tie.