Bond set at $50K for Middletown woman charged with robbery after purse stolen from driver

A 33-year-old Middletown woman was charged with robbery after she allegedly stole a purse from a woman who gave her a ride home, according to Middletown police.

Brittany Gaba was located Monday in the 3100 block of Illinois Avenue and charged with robbery. She was transported to the Middletown City Jail where she remains, police said.

Middletown Municipal Court Judge James Sherron set Gaba’s bond at $50,000, cash, surety or property during her arraignment Wednesday, according to court records. Her preliminary hearing was set for 9 a.m. Wednesday.

On Saturday night, Middletown police responded to the 2800 block of Burbank Avenue and found the alleged victim, a 72-year-old female, sitting on the ground, hysterical, with visible marks and injuries to her face, police said.

She told officers she gave a woman she didn’t know a ride from Meijer to an apartment complex in the 2800 block of Burbank. The woman had a shopping bag from Meijer and trash bags filled with other items, the alleged victim told police.

When they arrived at the apartment complex, the woman later identified as Gaba grabbed the victim’s purse and attempted to flee. During the struggle for the purse, the victim suffered minor injuries, and the suspect eventually ran away, police said.

At least two apartment residents were on scene when police arrived who corroborated the woman’s story.

During the struggle for her purse, the woman lost her car keys and her car was towed to her house in Lebanon.

Police found a Meijer receipt at the scene. They viewed surveillance footage from Meijer and were able to identify the woman.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call detective Trey Porter at (513) 425-7796.

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