NOTE: We do not have the booking photo.
That will come from SO.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 11, 2023
A Columbus man has been charged with a felony after he grabbed the purse of an 88-year-old female and ran out of the Food Giant grocery store last Saturday morning.
James Earl Roland, 34-year-old, of Columbus, was arrested Thursday and charged with Grand Larceny for “… taking and carrying away, feloniously, the personal property of another, of the value of One Thousand Dollars ($ 1,000.00) or more,” that according to Columbus Police Chief Joseph Daughtry.
“The value of the stolen goods made this a felony case, and the man under arrest can be sent to state prison for this action,” Chief Daughtry said Thursday. “This crime was not a simple ‘purse snatching’ incident. This lady was purchasing food inside Food Giant in Gateway Shopping Center when this person grabbed her purse and ran out of the store.”
“Because of the seriousness of the crime and the value of the items taken, we have charged him with a felony. I want to thank the public for their assistance in identifying this person and helping us locate him,” Chief Daughtry added. “The professional men and women of the Columbus Police Department did outstanding work in this case, and our community is safer with this person off the street.”
According to Chief Daughtry, the shopper left her purse unattended in her shopping cart, and when she looked away, the suspect grabbed the purse and ran out the store’s front door. The purse was recovered away from the store with the valuables missing.
Roland will appear before a judge in Columbus Municipal Court for a bond hearing at a future date.
Joe Dillon
Certified Forensic Analyst
Public Information Officer
City of Columbus, MS