Video shows woman dragged through parking lot by purse snatcher

TAMPA - Officers have two suspect sin custody after a 42-year-old woman was dragged through a Sweetbay Supermarket parking lot Friday morning in a fourth purse snatching in recent days.

Investigators say Twalla Killins was walking toward the grocery store at 5050 10th Avenue East in Tampa, when someone in a 1997 Honda Accord reached out and grabbed her purse around 8:30 a.m.

Killins tried to hold on to her purse, but was dragged about 40 feet through the lot, causing lacerations on her face, arms, and legs.

A nearby truck driver saw the incident but the tag number indicated the Accord had been reported stolen.

An officer patrolling the area spotted the car and attempted a traffic stop at Rome Avenue and Oregon Avenue, but the driver took off.   They crashed into fence at Oregon and Main Street, and two suspects jumped out and attempted to run.

A K-9 unit, Indo, tracked one of the suspects into a vacant apartment at 1521 West Green Street, where he was arrested.  Detectives later arrested a second suspect.

Deputies believe the suspects are involved in three other similar robberies.

On Thursday morning at 10:00, a similar incident occurred in the University Mall parking lot.

That night around 9:30, Julie Gatlin, 37, of Tampa had her purse snatched while walking through the parking lot at Walmart at 1505 North Dale Mabry Highway.

On Friday at 1 a.m., deputies say it happened again, this time in front of the Walmart at 8220 North Dale Mabry.

If you have any information, call Crime Stoppers or TPD at 813-231-6130.

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