A 15-year-old Skokie boy was charged with one count each of robbery, battery to a police officer and resisting arrest after snatching a woman’s purse on the south side of Evanston on Monday afternoon.

Police responded to a reported strong arm robbery about 12:30 p.m. Monday near Case Street and Ridge Avenue, according to a news release issued Tuesday by the Evanston Police Department.

The owner of the purse informed EPD officers a teenage boy had grabbed her purse and ran off with it, heading eastbound on Case Street. Once police gained a more detailed description of the purse snatcher, they broadcast it to other on-duty responders.

A door-to-door search of the area led to an apartment building stairwell on the 200 block of Elmwood Avenue, where police discovered a teenage boy matching the given description, according to the news release. He initially threw the silver purse out a nearby porch window.

The boy repeatedly resisted efforts to be questioned, ignoring officers’ commands and eventually attempting to fight one officer. After a brief struggle, the boy was placed into custody.

Officers subsequently conducted a show-up, presenting the boy to the purse’s owner. She identified the boy as the one who stole her purse.

The purse was returned to the woman as well as other personal items belonging to the woman found in the teen’s possession.

The boy’s court date is pending.

– Patrick Svitek