BOSTON, June 24, 2013—A Roxbury man was arraigned Friday for allegedly stealing a fellow MBTA passenger’s shopping bag, only to cross paths with a nearby Boston Police officer as he attempted to flee, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said today.

RICHARD WILLIAMS (D.O.B. 5/15/55) was arraigned Friday in Roxbury District Court on a single count of unarmed robbery.  Assistant District Attorney Teresa K. Jauregui requested bail be set at $500.  Judge David Weingarten released Williams on his own recognizance.

According to prosecutors, Williams boarded a Route 23 bus at Dudley Station at approximately 3:00 Thursday afternoon.  When the bus made a stop at 75 Malcolm X Blvd., Williams forcefully grabbed a shopping bag from a 44-year-old Dorchester woman also onboard the bus and fled the scene on foot, prosecutors said.

A nearby Boston Police officer heard the victim’s scream for help and stopped Williams right across the street from the bus stop, prosecutors said.  He was transported to MBTA Transit Police headquarters for booking because the offense took place on an MBTA bus.

After photographing the victim’s shopping bag and its contents – which included a handbag, a Z Galaxy 10.1 tablet, cash, and two debit or credit cards – for evidentiary purposes, Transit Police returned the property to the victim.

Williams is represented by attorney Carlton Williams.  He will return to court on August 7.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.