Police: Man, woman arrested in Surfside Beach purse snatchings

SURFSIDE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - Two people are facing charges after a pair of purse-snatching incidents in the Grand Strand.

The Surfside Beach Police Department said officers were called to the first incident on March 10 in front of Peggy’s Antquites on Highway 17 Business. The victim told police a woman approached her and offered to help load items into her car. That’s when the suspect took the victim’s purse and left the scene.

A second incident was then reported on Monday at the Food Lion on Highway 17 Business. That victim told officers a woman attempted to take her purse by force before being joined by a man. The victim was then knocked to the ground and both suspects left the scene.

Those suspects, Andrew Kinlaw and Jannie Kinlaw, were each arrested later in the week. Surfside Beach Police Chief Kenneth Hofmann said in a statement that the department used technology such as cameras and license plate readers to identify both suspects, leading to their arrest.

Both are charged with purse snatching while Jannie Kinlaw faces an additional strong-arm robbery charge.

Online records show they both remain at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center as of around noon Saturday.

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