Police: Man snatches elderly woman's purse, assaults police

Groton — A 37-year-old man was arrested Monday afternoon after he allegedly snatched an elderly woman's purse at a business on Route 12.

Groton Town police said Thomas W. Walders, of no known address, forcefully took the purse from a 75-year-old woman and ran off to a nearby motel at around 3:30 p.m.

When police tracked Walders down and arrested him, Walders attempted to fight off the officers and later assaulted them during the booking process, police said.

Walders was charged with third-degree robbery, second-degree larceny, breach of peace, assaulting an officer and interfering with an officer.

Walders was held on a $250,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in New London Superior Court Tuesday. Police said Walders also had six outstanding arrest warrants from several area police departments totaling $285,000 in bonds for violation of probation and violations of protective orders.