Man admits to stealing two women's purses after he's tackled by Good Samaritan



SHEBOYGAN CO. (WITI) -- 28-year-old David Reichartz Jr. of Sheboygan has been charged in connection with a purse snatching incident in Sheboygan in which a Good Samaritan stepped in and tackled him so that he could be taken into custody. Reichartz Jr. is charged in two separate purse snatching incidents in total.

Reichartz Jr. appeared in court on Tuesday, April 22nd.

The incident involving the Good Samaritan happened on Friday, April 18th.

Reichartz Jr. faces the following charges:


    A criminal complaint filed against Reichartz Jr. says officers first learned of a purse snatching that allegedly occurred at the Beans Tavern on North 12th Street in Sheboygan. That incident reportedly occurred on April 4th.

    Police spoke with a woman who told them she was at the Beans Tavern and said she saw a man running out the door with her purse.

    The complaint says the woman told police she believed her neighbor was responsible.

    Becky Kester works at the bar and saw it happen.

    "He came in and asked to use the bathroom. I asked for his ID and he said he didn't have one. He just wanted to use the bathroom but I said 'no -- not without an ID.' There was a purse right on the corner, and he grabbed it," Kester said.

    A customer gave chase -- and Kester says the customer caught him.

    "Caught up to him two blocks away -- got the purse back and the wallet, but the guy got away," Kester said.

    On April 18th, around 4:00 p.m., officers were dispatched to the Sav-A-Lot parking lot on North 8th Street. Police were told a man had just taken a woman's purse and fled the scene.

    Police soon learned the suspect was on North 10th Street -- and he was being held by someone.

    The complaint says police discovered the suspect laying on his back in the area of North 10th Street. The suspect was being held down by another man.

    The complaint says as Reichartz Jr. was being apprehended, he told police he had a "crack pipe" on him. That crack pipe was recovered from Reichartz Jr.'s pocket.

    Police were also able to recover the stolen purse, the contents from the purse and a cell phone belonging to the purse's owner. These items were located in a backyard on North 10th Street.

    The complaint says some receipts were discovered in the area -- along with a woman's wallet and some gift cards. The woman's checkbook -- containing her ID, were also located in the area.

    The complaint says the victim -- a 54-year-old Sheboygan woman, told police she had gone to the pet outlet by the Sav-A-Lot food store and had made some purchases.

    The woman says she came out to her car, which was parked in the handicapped stall as she has limited mobility of her left arm due to surgery. The woman says she had her purse on her right shoulder, according to the complaint.

    The woman says she was putting her packages into the car, when Reichartz Jr. came up to her from behind and grabbed her purse. The woman says she held onto her purse, and the force of having the purse pulled from her knocked her to the ground, according to the complaint.

    Police spoke with the Good Samaritan in this case -- who said he had seen Reichartz Jr. running from the area of Sav-A-Lot. The Good Samaritan said he gave chase after he was told the suspect had stolen a purse, according to the complaint.

    The complaint says the Good Samaritan told police he found the suspect in a yard, looking through the purse. He says he tackled Reichartz Jr. and held him until police arrived.

    Police spoke with a witness who said he saw the entire incident unfold at the Sav-A-Lot from a window -- and followed the Good Samaritan and Reichartz Jr. to the area of North 10th Street -- where police arrived and took Reichartz Jr. into custody.

    Police interviewed Reichartz Jr., who admitted to stealing the purse from the Beans Tavern on April 4th -- and also admitted to the incident at the Sav-A-Lot store.

    We are told Reichartz Jr. has previous convictions for robbery, substantial battery, possession with intent to deliver marijuana and manufacture/delivery of marijuana.

    The victim from the purse snatching in the Sav-A-Lot parking lot was injured in the incident -- and police said she may require medical treatment.

    Kester says she's just glad Reichartz Jr. was caught -- and that the Good Samaritans helped to make that happen.

    "That's a story. Sheboygan has heroes now -- people who are willing to go out of their way, chase these cowardly things down and do what's right," Kester said.