Good Samaritans chase suspect in theft

An alleged purse snatcher is facing larceny charges after several good Samaritans chased him along downtown Boston streets Wednesday until he was arrested by a police officer working a paid detail, police said.

David Funderburg, 47, was ordered held on $5,000 cash bail after his arraignment on larceny and related charges before Boston Municipal Court Judge Eleanor Coe Sinnott, the Suffolk district attorney's office said. A pretrial hearing was set for Dec. 10.

Police said that, shortly before 1 p.m. Wednesday, Funderburg grabbed a silver-colored purse from a woman who was in the Cosi restaurant on State Street and who shouted, "He's stealing my purse!"

Funderburg ran off with several people pursuing. During the foot chase, Funderburg threw the purse away, but it was recovered by one of the people chasing him, police said.

A Boston police officer working a paid detail near School Street saw the chase and joined in. With the help of an off-duty Providence police officer, he took Funderburg into custody after a brief struggle, police said.

Jonathan Keaveny, the court-appointed attorney for Funderburg, said it was too early to comment on the details of the case. "He's going to be denying responsibility, clearly," he said.

More than 1 in 5 college students is taking at least one course online, a 13 percent increase in enrollment that far outpaced the growth of the overall student population, a new survey has found. The sixth annual survey found that the number of students taking online courses more than doubled between 2002 and 2007. Almost 4 million students, about 84 percent of them undergraduates, take courses online. The survey of 2,500 colleges and universities was conducted by researchers at Babson College, the College Board, and the Sloan Consortium.

Mohegan Sun has leased land in Western Massachusetts for a possible casino development, just in case state lawmakers approve casino gaming. The Mohegan Tribe announced yesterday that it has signed a 50-year lease on 152 acres in Palmer with options to renew it for another 49 years. The land is in a private lot just off Route 32. The cost of the lease was not immediately disclosed. Mohegan representative Paul Brody said they are spending millions now as an investment. This year, lawmakers declined to approve casino gaming, but they may reconsider it next session. (AP)

The Bangor pediatric dentist and public health advocate who spearheaded a successful campaign to ban smoking in vehicles when children are present now wants to prohibit the use of food stamps to buy soda. Dr. Jonathan Shenkin, president-elect of the Maine Dental Association, is leading the push. Shenkin said soda is a major contributor to tooth decay and obesity. His proposal also includes diet soda, which is acidic and low in nutritional value. Shenkin said it is not uncommon for him to see children as young as 3 or 4 who need to have all their baby teeth extracted because of advanced decay. (AP)

After three years, a man who works at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard has found a submarine sunk by the US Navy during World War II for training purposes. Joe Cushing, who lives in Strafford, N.H., said the sub is about 12 miles off Portland. The vessel was used by the Navy to train pilots and destroyer crews to detect enemy subs, he said. (AP)

The Connecticut Audubon Society says it is canceling its 2009 Eagle Festival because the worldwide economic downturn has dried up corporate sponsorship. The festival was scheduled for Feb. 14 and 15 in Essex. It has drawn thousands of spectators to the town each year to celebrate the return of the winter population of bald eagles to the lower Connecticut River. Society president Robert Martinez said the event will be resurrected when economic conditions improve. (AP)

A federal grand jury indicted a Sacramento man yesterday on 13 charges related to a series of anthrax scares in Boston and across the country that turned out to be hoaxes. Marc Keyser, 66, is accused of mailing threatening packages to several media outlets, businesses, and Representative George Radanovich, Republican of California. Among the newspapers receiving suspicious packages were the Boston Herald, The Christian Science Monitor, the Providence Journal, and Newport Daily News. (AP)