Good Samaritans Catch Purse Snatcher

By Tiani Jones First Coast News

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Vincent Zabito had just gotten off work Sunday and was at Wal-Mart on 6830 Normandy with his buddies, waiting on a friend who was inside shopping.

"We was just sitting against the car talking, just having a good time," said Zabito.

That's when his friend Charles Smith says, "I heard a lady scream."

Diana Valentin was the woman screaming. She had just come out of a Wal-Mart and was unloading her bags when she says, "I went to push my buggy back to shut the door, and he just reached from behind me and snatched my purse and started running."

Police say that man was 31-year old Daniel Coll. He's the man who is now behind bars, and the man who was chased down by three friends.

"The guys looked at each other and said 'you want to go for him,' and they took off running," said Valentin.

Smith said, "By the time I figured out what was going on [Vincent] had already left me running after him across the parking lot, so I just took off right behind him."

"I just took off after them, it was just instinct," said Jonathan O'Berry.

It was a chase that was taking them out of the Wal-Mart parking lot and into a neighborhood across the street.

Smith says, "He jumped a fence and went in a back yard, but I couldn't quite get over the fence, because my arm was hung in the fence."

A dislocated shoulder, and a broken wrist was no deterrent for the Good Samaritan, besides help was close behind.

"Charlie couldn't get over the fence, so I helped him over the fence," said Zabito.

And just when they thought they had their man cornered, he escaped.

"The next thing I know here comes somebody running across the Wal-Mart parking lot by Blockbuster, and I seen him jump in the dumpster, and the next thing I knew John was behind him, and I was screaming 'John, John, he's in the dumpster."

Victoria Smith was the friend shopping in Wal-Mart. She guided O'Berry to the hiding man.

"I walked over to the dumpster and flipped the lid up, and there he was laying in the dumpster," said O'Berry.

"We was daring him to get out. He didn't want to," laughed Zabito.

Police say Coll will be charged with robbery by sudden snatching, and simple battery.

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