NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – A suspected purse thief was stopped in his tracks and pulled from a possible getaway car by a man on a date.
It happened around 10:45 p.m. Wednesday night at the corner of Third Avenue and Demonbreun Street.
Alan Laidlaw and his date, who asked us not to reveal her identity, had just finished dinner at a restaurant.
They were waiting near valet for their car when a white two-door car pulled up to the curb.
The passenger in the car, who police identified as Wayne Drury, got out of the passenger side, walked up behind Laidlaw’s date and cut the strap on her purse with a knife.
“I grabbed him. We fought over the purse and he cut my hand then she got involved. We got him out of the car and she had him pinned down with her legs,” Laidlaw explained to News 2.
That is when other people who were around jumped in to help. A group of people held down the suspect until police arrived.
Laidlaw went to the hospital for the cut on his hand. Doctors gave him seven stiches. On Wednesday, he had an appointment with a hand surgeon to find out what is next.
“He cut a tendon, a tendon was cut, but it shouldn’t be the end of the world,” said Laidlaw.
As for his relationship with his date, “I think it is a good sign. We are a good team.”
Drury, 40, faces charges for aggravated assault, attempted aggravated robbery and vandalism.
