updated
Saturday, 2:15 PM

From the Metro staff at The Boston Globe

Boston purse snatcher chased down by good Samaritans

November 13, 2008 04:12 PM Email| Comments (23)| Text size – +

By Globe Staff

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.

Dana Funderburg

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 pre-trial hearing was set for Dec. 10.

According to police, shortly before 1 p.m. Wednesday, Funderburg allegedy grabbed a silver-colored purse from a woman who was in the Cosi restaurant on State Street. “He’s stealing my purse!'' the woman shouted.

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, the officer took Funderburg into custody after a brief struggle, police said.

Jonathan Keaveny, Funderburg’s court-appointed attorney, said it was too early to comment on the details of the case.

“He’s going to be denying responsibility, clearly,” he said.

» Back to Front Page

23 comments so far...

Good to see people helping out and chasing him down.

Posted by 5oBill November 13, 08 10:08 AM

Nice to see people help out and not act like they didn't see what was going on.

Posted by vlizzle November 13, 08 10:33 AM

That's what i love about Boston, someone yells help and many people come running to help this person. I love Boston!!!!!!

Posted by gasman November 13, 08 10:40 AM

thank goodness there was a real cop on paid detail...he actually got to do some real work!

Posted by smidge November 13, 08 10:46 AM

I would have done the same thing. Good for those people that helped!

Posted by tangjet November 13, 08 10:49 AM

I hope they got a few punches in during the struggle. What a scumbag.

Posted by billywalsh November 13, 08 11:20 AM

and I don't want to hear about his difficult childhood!

Posted by tjt November 13, 08 11:35 AM

should break a finger or two to teach him a lesson

Posted by mrboston November 13, 08 11:41 AM

Man I would love to do that someday! Heroes I tell ya.

Posted by Jeff November 13, 08 11:42 AM

Wouldn't have been good, if the guy pulled out a large gun and blew them all away.

Posted by Ray November 13, 08 11:50 AM

I bet a flagger would not have caught him.

Posted by eric November 13, 08 11:50 AM

Don't tase me bro!

Posted by David F. November 13, 08 11:50 AM

How long does it take for posts to go up? This is crazy.

Posted by Ray November 13, 08 11:53 AM

I think the moral of this story is not to eat at Cosi.... that place is terrible. They try to disguise their stale bread by putting flour on it....

Posted by King B November 13, 08 12:05 PM

yeah Ray...Real funny...NOT! What good Samaritans!!

Posted by lyn November 13, 08 12:40 PM

Who's watching the construction site while the cop chases this guy?

Posted by Jon Smith November 13, 08 01:12 PM

No lyn, it's not funny. People do die being good Samaritans. It was just a few years ago that a high school kid was killed on Longwood Ave because he was trying to be a good Samaritan and apprehend a shoplifter from CVS. Stabbed in the throat...he was 17.

Posted by rayisright November 13, 08 01:18 PM

Obama will give him a tax break.

Posted by Roger November 13, 08 02:01 PM

I bet this tragedy could have been averted earlier if a corporate lawyer would get off his lazy bum and tackle a thief!!!!!!!!

Posted by Peter Kopper November 13, 08 02:11 PM

Providence PD, always going above and beyond

Posted by B November 13, 08 02:57 PM

Gotta love his lawyer...."He’s going to be denying responsibility, clearly,” he said.

Posted by Ann Batten November 13, 08 06:01 PM

So this means that civilian flaggers are bad? I guess then we should have overpaid cops in all places. Why hire a doorman when you could pay a cop 27 dollars an hour to do it. Hey, he might catch a criminal!

Posted by Pete November 13, 08 06:06 PM

As a senier,I say great job all around!!! Thats why we need police officers doing traffic detail work! They add protection to that area. In case of emergencies. Boston citizens are great.

Posted by chaz November 14, 08 07:05 AM