Oxford, PA Pair Arrested In Attempted Robbery Of Woman’s Purse

Hockessin – The Delaware State Police have arrested two persons from Oxford, PA for Attempted Robbery 2nd degree and Conspiracy 2nd degree after they attempted to take a 53 year old Newark woman’s purse from a shopping cart at the Acme located in Lantana Square.

Troopers responded there Saturday at 3:56 pm after 911 was called reporting the incident. The investigation revealed the victim had her purse in her shopping cart and was reaching in to a freezer to retrieve items. The victim then observed Melanie S. McCoury, 36 reach into the shopping cart and remove her purse while Arthur P. Hall III, 42 was acting as a look out.

The woman confronted McCoury and attempted to retrieve her purse from the robber when a brief struggle ensued. The victim was able to successfully retrieve her purse and both suspects fled without obtaining any property. During the altercation, the victim received a small cut on her finger which did not require medical treatment.

Investigating troopers reviewed surveillance video to obtain a description of the suspects and vehicle at which point they learned the pair fled in a tan Dodge Stratus. As troopers were searching the area they observed a vehicle matching the suspect’s vehicle traveling on DE 41 in the area of Sanford School. A traffic stop was conducted at which point troopers immediately recognized the occupants as the two persons in the surveillance video.

Both subjects were taken into custody without incident and arrested for the aforementioned offenses. McCoury was committed to the Baylor’s Women Correctional Center in lieu of a $7000.00 cash only bail. Hall was committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Center in lieu of the same bail.

Note – the video surveillance footage is not available.