Palo Alto lady uses prohibited crater of coffee to foil purse snatching

Two group are wanted in tie with an attempted purse-snatching in Palo Alto on Saturday, military said. Photo: Palo Alto Police Department

A Palo Alto lady was enjoying some coffee on Saturday morning when she found herself fending off a span of would-be purse snatchers by throwing a prohibited crater of joe in one their faces, officials said.

The woman, who is in her twenties, was walking in a parking lot on El Camino Real and Quarry Road in Palo Alto with a coffee she had usually purchased, when dual group rode adult to her on a singular bicycle around 9:50 a.m., and one done a squeeze for her purse, military said.


When a plant refused to let go, a bike newcomer dismounted and attempted to lift a purse tag from her shoulder, military said. She responded by throwing her prohibited crater of coffee during his face, military said. The assailant afterwards punched her in a face, hopped on a behind of a bicycle and his confederate pedaled divided on Quarry Road, military said.



The lady kept her purse and postulated usually a teenager damage to her face, officials report.

Police contend a categorical think is a male in his twenties with a squared-off prosaic tip haircut, between 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-5 inches tall. He was wearing a red V-neck shirt and black jeans. The male pedaling a bike was also in his twenties, with brief dim hair and wearing jeans and a gray and black striped brief sleeved shirt with a floral pattern on a collar and sleeves, according to police.

Anyone with information on a occurrence can call a Palo Alto military during (650) 329-2413 or leave an unknown tip during (650) 383-8984.

Filipa A. Ioannou is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: fioannou@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @obioannoukenobi