A pair of alleged thieves weren’t interested in the bag lunch they stole from one victim, but they kept the bag of cigars they snatched from another – at least until MBTA Transit Police showed up, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

JOHN GLENNON (D.O.B. 11/20/77), who gave his address as the St. Francis House shelter on Boylston Street, and MALCOLM WILLIAMS (D.O.B. 3/26/93), who has no fixed address, were arraigned in the Boston Municipal Court this morning on two counts each of assault with intent to rob a person 60 or older and assault and battery on a person 60 or over.

Glennon, who has criminal records in New Jersey, California, and Washington, D.C., was held on $5,000 cash bail and sent to Bridgewater State Hospital for observation following evaluation by the court clinician. Williams was held on $500.

Assistant District Attorney Spencer Lord told the court that two Boston men, ages 62 and 70, were walking along Tremont Street at about 1:30 p.m. The two men were not together but were in close proximity and each was carrying a bag: The 70-year-old man had a bag with his lunch in it, while the 62-year-old had a bag containing eight cigars.

As they were walking, Lord said, Glennon allegedly used an as-yet undetermined blunt object to hit both ben’s hands, causing them to drop their bags. At that point, Williams allegedly bent over and grabbed the bags. He tossed the older man’s food, but kept the younger man’s cigars.

Shocked, the men looked at Glennon, who allegedly adopted a fighting stance and asked the two senior citizens, “Do you really want to [expletive] do this?”

The younger of the two victims crossed Tremont Street and approached MBTA Transit Police officers who were on duty at Park Street station. He described what had happened and described the assailants’ clothing. Williams, who was wearing a distinctive red windbreaker, was standing near the Winter Street elevator entrance.

As the officers approached him, Williams allegedly took off running down Tremont Street, then ran through traffic across to the Boston Common. Transit Police pursued him through the park and back across Tremont Street to West Street, where they took him to the ground. As the suspect and officers fell, a bag containing eight cigars fell from Williams’ pocket.

A search for the second assailant was briefly unsuccessful until Glennon showed up at the scene of the crime. The victims pointed him out to the officers, who took him into custody as well.

The older man sustained a minor injury to his hand that responding emergency medical technicians treated at the scene.

Both defendants will return to court on Aug. 24.