St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s detective Renee Kinler was injured after trying to arrest a purse snatcher. Charles Baloney began the chain of events that led to the injury when he grabbed a woman’s purse as she was coming out of the CVS Pharmacy in Luling on Sept. 21, at about 11:30 in the morning.
Baloney then fled on foot.
Detectives Deborah Johnston and Kinler were in the area and spotted Baloney near an apartment complex close by. The detectives cornered the suspect, and he tried to force his way past them, knocking Kinler into an iron post.
According to Sheriff Greg Champagne, “Baloney was subdued by them and two other deputies (D. Hitzman and S. Banegas) who quickly arrived.”
On Aug. 18, a similar incident occurred at the VFW Hall in Luling. A 49-year-old woman was walking to her vehicle when an unknown man walked up to her and snatched her purse from her arm. However, the Sheriff’s office could not determine whether or not the two incidents were connected.
Baloney was arrested and his bond has been set at $132,500. He was charged with unauthorized entry of an uninhabited dwelling, second degree battery, second degree battery of a police officer and simple criminal battery.
Capt. Patrick Yoes, spokesman for the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s office, reports that Kinler suffered minor injuries to her face but was in good condition and was later released from the hospital.
“We are thankful that she is okay and the suspect was apprehended,” he said.
Champagne said Baloney’s purse snatching career came to a swift end.
“Hopefully, his prison career will be a long and rehabilitative one,” Champagne said.
Champagne recommends residents observe their surroundings in order to prevent future crimes.
“Look around your vehicle in the area you’re in for suspicious activity,” he said. “If you see something unusual, notify the store managers or owner.”
Champagne noted that a lot of residents have cars that come with a panic alarm that could be useful to distract potential criminals.
“Press the panic alarm on the back of your key chain if you have one to cause a distraction and draw attention to the fact that you need help,” he said.
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