Advertisement Warrant issued for man caught stealing elderly woman's purse in Fitchburg Man caught on camera stealing purse at Market Basket Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Fitchburg authorities have issued a warrant for the man accused of snatching a purse from an 85-year-old woman at a grocery store, NewsCenter 5 has learned exclusively.Watch report Joseph C. Brown, of New Ipswich, N.H., will be charged with larceny from a person over 65, a felony, and has informed investigators that he will turn himself in Friday, according to police.The 26-year-old was allegedly caught on surveillance cameras Tuesday morning at the Market Basket on John Fitch Highway stealing a purse from an elderly woman.That victim, Mary Derosier, of Lunenburg, spoke exclusively Thursday with NewsCenter 5's Liam Martin, saying she had a suspicion that morning that somebody was stalking her at the store."In a couple of the aisles, I thought somebody was watching me and following me," she said from her home. "He had nothing in his hands, so I thought, 'Maybe he is following me. I don't know.'"Mary brushed it off as paranoia. But just as she left her cart to get a case of soda, the suspect is caught on camera swiping her blue purse from the carriage."I put my hands back on my pocketbook, or so I thought," Mary recalled. "And I said, 'Mypocket book. Somebody took my pocketbook.'"Cameras captured the man walking briskly out of the store with the purse in his hands. He took off on foot toward the highway.Mary was left without more than $100 in cash, all of her medical information, her Medicare card, her checkbook, credit cards, Social Security card, and her cellphone."I lost everything," she said. It took her and her eldest daughter two full days to get her life back in order.And she hasn't been able to sleep in the home, knowing the suspect has access to her address."I didn't move that day all day; I thought he would come back here," she said, adding she hasn't been able to eat regularly since the ordeal.But there is good news for Mary: Fitchburg police identified Brown on Thursday night as their alleged culprit. The discovery came after an officer with Lunenburg police recognized Brown from a shoplifting case in that town a few months ago. In that incident, Brown was caught across the street from the store as he was trying to escape, according to Lunenburg police.Mary, for her part, is glad authorities have a suspect."I guess I called him everything that day," she said. "How could anybody do that to an old lady?"