Arrests made in Publix purse snatching

SPRING HILL – The sheriff’s office has arrested two men in connection with a June purse snatching.

Eloy Feliciano, 26, and Alex Gonzalez, 42, were arrested Thursday on charges of robbery. Law enforcement believe Feliciano and Gonzalez were responsible for a purse snatching in the Publix parking lot at 4158 Mariner Blvd. in Spring Hill. The victim was knocked to the ground during the incident and required medical attention.

Detectives determined Feliciano and Gonzalez tried to use the victim’s credit cards at Publix and SunTrust bank from video surveillance and witnesses.

A Crime Stoppers tip identified Feliciano as one of the snatchers, and the man later admitted to the crime, telling detectives he was sick and had a drug addiction.

Feliciano said he picked up Gonzalez, and the two drove around looking for “someone to steal from.”

Gonzalez also admitted his involvement in the robbery, telling detectives he drove while Feliciano grabbed the elderly woman’s purse.

Gonzalez was booked at the jail on $10,000 bond.

Feliciano was already in custody at the time of his arrest. On Tuesday, Feliciano was sentenced to three years in prison for burglarizing multiple homes on Cadbury Road in Spring Hill last month.

Court records show both men have been found guilty of felonies in the past.