Suspect in Modesto purse snatching held on $1 million bail

A purse snatching at a Walmart store ended in an arrest on carjacking and kidnapping Sunday because of the man’s escape method.

A man started a conversation with a woman shopping at the Walmart on McHenry Avenue about 2:45 a.m. Sunday.

When the woman looked away for a moment, the man grabbed her purse and ran from the store, said Modesto police spokeswoman Heather Graves.

The 47-year-old victim chased after him while screaming, alerting other customers, who also chased after him.

The man left the store and jumped into the back of a Ford Taurus driven by a 37-year-old woman, Graves said.

The man told the woman he had a gun and to drive away from the store. Graves said the woman drove erratically out of the parking lot toward the Golden Corral restaurant, where the man got out of the car and ran.

When officers arrived, they saw several witnesses chasing after a man, who tried to hide behind a truck.

The suspect, 24-year-old Rudy Brito Jr., was arrested on suspicion of carjacking, kidnapping with the intent to carjack and petty theft. He is being held at the Stanislaus County Jail on $1 million bail.

This story was originally published November 17, 2014 at 4:40 PM with the headline "Suspect in Modesto purse snatching held on $1 million bail."