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Crime & Safety

Police: Pocketbook Thief Taken Down With Stun Gun After Resisting Arrest

The 24-year-old Westhampton Beach resident was charged with criminal possession of stolen property, criminal possession of a controlled substance, other charges after allegedly found with stolen pocketbook.

Police arrested a 24-year-old man from Westhampton Beach and 37-year-old woman from Riverhead Friday morning after a pocketbook heist went awry, according to Westhampton Beach Village Police.

At around 4:16 a.m. Friday morning, police responded to a call about a stolen pocketbook at on Old Riverhead Road in Westhampton Beach. They saw Rodney Brooks and Jessica Lobiak arguing when they arrived on scene. Police began interviewing the bar-goers, when Lobiak came back into the establishment, stating that she found the missing bag by the road. But, a checkbook in the pocketbook was missing, said Westhampton Beach Village Sergeant Trevor Gonce.

The checkbook was later found in Lobiak’s car, Gonce said.

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Brooks then fled the scene, but police found him on the grounds of the Westhampton Auto Wash across the street. Brooks resisted arrest, until police used a Taser on him. He was transported to as a precaution, Gonce said. A baggie of cocaine fell out of Brooks’ pocket in the ambulance en route to the hospital, Gonce said.

Brooks was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, resisting arrest, seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal trespass, all misdemeanors.

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Lobiak was arrested later that morning at Village Police headquarters. She was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, a misdemeanor.

Quogue Village Police and Southampton Town Police assisted in the arrests, Gonce said.

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