Stretching or Purse Snatching?

A Cottage Grove man faces a felony attempted theft charge after he allegedly tried to snatch a girl’s purse while he was bicycling on June 3 in Woodbury.

Kevin William Scheuer, 41, faces up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine on the charge, though he told police he might have been stretching and accidentally brushed against the girl, who was walking near Commonwealth Avenue and Radio Drive, according to the criminal complaint.

at about 1:30 p.m. on June 3 were dispatched to the area after the girl, who was heading to a graduation party, said a man rode past her and tried to grab her purse but only hit her thigh with his hand, the complaint says.

She told police that after he biked past her, he looked back and said, “Oh, crap.”

The girl described the man as wearing very short jean shorts, no shirt, a red bandana and having crooked/missing teeth. She added that she had seen him bicycling in the area recently, according to the complaint.

The next day, June 4, her father called police to say that he saw a man matching the description—short jean shorts, no shirt and a bandana—at in Woodbury, according to the complaint.

Officers approached the man, identified as Scheuer, and he denied trying to take the purse, saying he was only stretching and may have accidentally ridden too close to the girl, the complaint says.

He also told police he often stretches when he rides and leans his upper torso to the side. He said he may have accidentally hit her purse when he passed by, the complaint says.

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