Purse snatcher charged with armed robbery
A 30-year-old Ypsilanti Township man apprehended by a witness after stealing a woman’s purse now is facing a charge of armed robbery.
Charles Horn
Courtesy of WCSO
Deputies responded about 2 p.m. Sunday to the 1600 block of Holmes Road for the robbery report, said Sgt. Geoffrey Fox of the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office. A 59-year-old woman was walking in the parking lot of the Sunrise Center Shopping Center when she was approached by Charles Horn.
The 30-year-old Horn, of Ypsilanti Township, grabbed the woman’s purse out of her shopping cart, Fox said. When the woman looked at Horn, she saw he was holding a handgun.
Horn fled the area on foot, but a 43-year-old man sitting in his truck noticed the incident and heard the woman screaming for help. The man followed Horn in his truck and eventually got out on foot, catching Horn about a block away, Fox said.
The 43-year-old man held Horn until deputies arrived, Fox said.
On Tuesday, Horn was arraigned on a single charge of armed robbery. He was given a 10 percent of $5,000 bond, according to jail records.
Horn faces his first preliminary exam at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 10 in the 14A-1 District Court in Pittsfield Township, according to court records. He was lodged in the county jail Wednesday morning.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
eazy
Fri, Sep 6, 2013 : 3:35 p.m.
@Val....it's a good thing that he was able to help but in a flash things can happen. Let's just feel fortunate this time....that guy looks dangerous.
Valentina
Fri, Sep 6, 2013 : 4:09 p.m.
I am very thankful that everyone got through it unharmed. :) Thanks for your comment.
eazy
Fri, Sep 6, 2013 : 3:32 p.m.
now you guys all really want to play the race card hunh????
YpsiCityMomma
Thu, Sep 5, 2013 : 9:22 p.m.
It's too bad that our local government is so hot to keep law abiding citizens from protecting themselves. Seems like the criminals still aren't being prosecuted as they should be for their crimes while those of us who abide by the law, and are CPL holders, are still getting the short end of the stick. Thank goodness this local good samaritan was able to help out another, despite the potential threat of harm to himself. Kudos!
Ricebrnr
Sat, Sep 7, 2013 : 12:32 p.m.
and btw "Least Canada is right next door to Michigan, funny how their murder rates are way lower, really funny." From http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/jlpp/Vol30_No2_KatesMauseronline.pdf WOULD BANNING FIREARMS REDUCE MURDER AND SUICIDE? A REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL AND SOME DOMESTIC EVIDENCE DON B. KATES* AND GARY MAUSER D. Geographic Patterns within Nations Once again, if more guns equal more death and fewer guns equal less death, areas within nations with higher gun owner?ship should in general have more murders than those with less gun ownership in a similar area. But, in fact, the reverse pattern prevails in Canada,128 "England, America, and Switzerland, [where the areas] with the highest rates of gun ownership were in fact those with the lowest rates of violence." funny Mexico is right next door too and has even stricter restrictions than Canada...hows that working for them?
Ricebrnr
Fri, Sep 6, 2013 : 4:28 p.m.
Paul, you really should try to learn about the subject. Per MCL 28.425J available here: http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(skjacw3fpkbsjtudmhghbc45))/mileg.aspx?page=GetObject&objectname=mcl-28-425j (1) A pistol training or safety program described in section 5b(7)(c) meets the requirements for knowledge or training in the safe use and handling of a pistol only if the program consists of NOT LESS THAN 8 HOURS of instruction and all of the following conditions are met: [EMPHASIS MINE] Including (b) The program provides AT LEAST 3 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION ON A FIRING RANGE and requires firing at least 30 rounds of ammunition.[EMPHASIS MINE] Not to mention the costs ON TOP OF the training just to apply: http://www.michigan.gov/msp/0,4643,7-123-1591_3503_4654-10929--,00.html * Applicant pays a fee of $105 to the county clerk at time of filing. All said and done there are several days, hundred of dollars and several visits to two or more agencies and a 2 month wait to "get permission to" exercise a right to carry (concealed). YAY SOOOOOO easy....
Paul
Fri, Sep 6, 2013 : 3:18 a.m.
Huh, if you got a clean record, all you need to do is take a 2 hour class and you got a right to carry a loaded weapon. That doesn't sound like war on the CPL holders. If anything, its TOO easy to legally carry a loaded gun in the USA, way too easy. And the answer is, more guns, ugh. Least Canada is right next door to Michigan, funny how their murder rates are way lower, really funny.
Wayne
Thu, Sep 5, 2013 : 5:11 p.m.
I know Charles and cannot understand why he went to extreme measures to get money. I also heard it was a BB gun which still is considered armed.
mstairs
Thu, Sep 5, 2013 : 4:48 p.m.
Why do you only post booking photos of Caucasians? I am outraged!
Valentina
Fri, Sep 6, 2013 : 12:03 a.m.
Please refer to page 2 AnnArbor.com 7 stories above this one. 17 year old charged with home invasion. But lets not make this about race. Right is Right and Wrong is Wrong :)
Ricebrnr
Thu, Sep 5, 2013 : 4:26 p.m.
wow all the praise for the Samaritan (rightly so) but wondering where the "cop wannabe" comments are...
Valentina
Fri, Sep 6, 2013 : midnight
Oh okay, my bad lol Never heard that term before, so please except our apologies lol We do understand what you mean now. Thanks :)
John
Thu, Sep 5, 2013 : 11:01 p.m.
"refer to gun owners who have used their guns to stop a crime "cop wannabes."" I believe that is really only in reference to one specific individual who will remain nameless since it gets brought up way too often already by everyone here.
Hugh Giariola
Thu, Sep 5, 2013 : 8:53 p.m.
@Valentina, thanks to your husband and his courageous effort in doing the right thing. However, Ricebrnr is expressing sarcasm not towards your husband, but to the larger anti-gun crowd who refer to gun owners who have used their guns to stop a crime "cop wannabes."
Valentina
Thu, Sep 5, 2013 : 6:13 p.m.
On behalf of my husband.... This is his statement... "I don't consider myself a hero... Just a concerned citizen! What if it was your mother, your wife, sister or daughter? Would I still be considered a cop wannabe? Far from that! but I do appreciate the compliment. Have a Blessed Day :)
IVote
Thu, Sep 5, 2013 : 4:14 p.m.
I live in this area, thank God for people like this good Samaritan. He is a brave man and true hero.
Stan Hyne
Thu, Sep 5, 2013 : 1:47 p.m.
Contrary to a previous post on another site they did print a photo of a white criminal.
walker101
Thu, Sep 5, 2013 : 1:49 a.m.
What was he armed with, anyone running after a criminal that has a gun has some real guts or?
A2brooksie
Wed, Sep 4, 2013 : 8:40 p.m.
The judge who released him on a 10% $5,000 bond (he got out of jail for $500) is NOT the hero of the day, but rather the ZERO of the day! I can understand the need for people to be able to bail out of jail to defend themselves, and the fact that we have an overcrowded jail. However, anyone who commits a crime with a gun should be held on a much higher bond to send the right message! $500 for stealing a 59 yr old lady's purse while having a gun is absolutely shameful!!!
Solitude
Fri, Sep 6, 2013 : 12:58 p.m.
Matt Cooper, a suspect's perceived danger to society is also a factor in setting bail, and this guy is obviously a danger to others. $5,000 or 10% is a joke in this case. If it's true he had a gun and two knives, what possible justification is there for such a low bond?
Matt Cooper
Fri, Sep 6, 2013 : 4:02 a.m.
Valentina. thank you hubby for me. He is a brave man and did the right thing. A2brooksie, bond is not used as a punishment. Its purpose is nothing more than a means to try to guarantee the suspects appearance at future court appearances. Too many people want to raise bail so high the suspect cannot raise it and therefore must sit in jail. That is plainly unconstitutional.
TryingToBeObjective
Thu, Sep 5, 2013 : 3:32 a.m.
Probably left his other purse at home.... Valentina- Your husband is truly selfless hero to help that woman, and probably prevent other (alleged) crimes by this man. What an inspiration!
Valentina
Wed, Sep 4, 2013 : 9:48 p.m.
I agree! but thankfully this person was unable to actually get out. He's still in there :) (snicker snicker) lol He was unable to come up with the $500 to post bail. :)
Valentina
Wed, Sep 4, 2013 : 6:59 p.m.
This man was a true HERO that day! This person did in fact have a gun. He also had 2 knives on his person. The 43 year old man happens to be my husband, and he was able to detain the suspect until the police arrived. In addition, he was able to recover the ladies purse with all her contents in tact.
Valentina
Fri, Sep 6, 2013 : 12:08 a.m.
IVOTE......Hey neighbor lol. We are closer then you think... wink wink LOL
IVote
Thu, Sep 5, 2013 : 4:20 p.m.
Valentina, how much better the world would be with more people like him. I really hope you live in the neighborhood with us. I would feel much safer with him around since I rarely see the police in the Holmes/Prospect area.
bwp
Wed, Sep 4, 2013 : 8:12 p.m.
Your husband is the MAN!
Carolyn
Wed, Sep 4, 2013 : 7:36 p.m.
A big thank you to your husband. Truly glad that no one was injured in this incident.
Linda Peck
Wed, Sep 4, 2013 : 7:16 p.m.
Valentina, he is such a hero. Thanks go to him. Please let him know. It is reassuring to read this and know such a man exists. He did not let this incident just pass before his eyes like a zombie. He got up and did something about it.
John of Saline
Wed, Sep 4, 2013 : 6:25 p.m.
Huh. It will be interesting to hear more details on this one.
Ricebrnr
Wed, Sep 4, 2013 : 5 p.m.
How was he held by the Samaritan if the criminal had a gun?
Paul
Fri, Sep 6, 2013 : 3:08 a.m.
Good point and was a gun found ?
DBH
Wed, Sep 4, 2013 : 4:45 p.m.
I don't see the word "allegedly" (or any of its synonyms) in this story.
Matt Cooper
Fri, Sep 6, 2013 : 3:58 a.m.
Last time I checked, online news sources are not the same as criminal courtrooms. You wanna read the story, read it. You wanna talk about innocent until proven guilty, go see the judge. This ain't a courtroom.
Paul
Fri, Sep 6, 2013 : 3:07 a.m.
Not guilty till proven in a court of law has been forgotten about long-long ago.
jmcmurray
Thu, Sep 5, 2013 : 2:11 p.m.
So if the police claim it, it is automatically true?
Kyle Feldscher
Wed, Sep 4, 2013 : 4:48 p.m.
All accusations of the crime are being brought by police, as evidenced by the sourcing in the story.