Don't call him a hero because he was just doing his job but this afternoon a police officer rushed to the aid of a teacher in distress and chased down her purse snatcher. Felix Martinez, who is assigned to Justice Troadio Gonzalez, was having lunch on Richard Sidewalk when he was alerted to a teacher whose purse had just been snatched. Constable Martinez set chase by car and later on foot from the corner of Mosul Street and Cemetery Road. He told us how it eventually ended.
Felix Martinez, Police Constable
"I parked the vehicle on the side and came out and ran after the suspect and apprehended him during when he was trying to escape."
Keith Swift,
You chased him down?
Felix Martinez,
"Yes."
Keith Swift,
What did he have on him?
Felix Martinez,
"The suspect had a bag in his hand and also he had a pair of shoes as well in the bag."
Keith Swift,
You found anything belonging to the teacher?
Felix Martinez,
"No, nothing belonging to the teacher."
Marion Ali, LOVE Fm
"So her belongings were not in him?"
Felix Martinez,
"No her belongings were not on him so we tried to go and recover it at the area that he showed me he dropped it at."
Keith Swift,
What made you get out of your vehicle and help or go after this guy?
Felix Martinez,
"Well he is a citizen of this country and again we try to take off as much criminals off the street."
Martinez did not recover the teacher's purse and the suspect was handed over to the Criminal Investigations Branch. Martinez has fourteen years with the Police Department and he has been driving Justice Gonzalez for the last two years.
