WILMINGTON, N.C. — A woman managed to fight off a would-be purse snatcher at a Wilmington gas station early Wednesday morning.
According to Cathryn Lindsay with the Wilmington Police Department, the incident happened around 2:30 a.m. at the Handee Hugo in the 5000 block of Market Street.
Lindsay said the victim was standing in line at the counter when another woman, 22-year-old Alysha Anne Reyes, tried to grab her purse.
The victim turned around and hit Reyes in the face, starting a fight.
Reyes’ boyfriend, 19-year-old Ian Gabriel Haralalka, saw the two women fighting and got out his vehicle and went in the store to help Reyes.
The victim managed to hold down Reyes until police arrived on scene.
Officers arrested both Reyes and Haralalka after he admitted they went to the gas station with the intent to rob someone.
Both suspects were charged with attempted common law robbery and booked in the New Hanover County Jail under $20,000 bonds each.
