Man sought in purse snatchings

Police are searching for a man wanted in a series of purse snatchings, including one where a victim suffered a broken wrist.

The majority of the victims were elderly women, and all of the incidents happened in parking lots, the Winnipeg Police Service said in a news release Wednesday. Four of the incidents happened on Aug. 20, and the man was riding a bike in at least four of the robberies.

A man grabbed a victim’s purse in a hotel lot on the 2500 block of Portage Avenue shortly before 3:30 p.m. About an hour later, a man grabbed a lunch bag from a retail lot on the 800 block of St. James Street.

Around the same time, a man grabbed a victim’s purse in a retail lot on the 1600 block of Ness Avenue.

“The victim was able to hold onto her purse and fell as a result of the incident, suffering a broken wrist,” the WPS said.

A man grabbed another victim’s purse from a shopping cart at about the same time and place.

On Aug. 25, shortly after 11:30 a.m., a man grabbed a woman’s purse in a retail lot on the 3400 block of Portage.

Ryan William Allingham, 48, is wanted for robbery. Police advised people not to approach him.

The WPS asked anyone who knows where Allingham is to contact its major crimes unit at 204-986-6219, or at Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477 (TIPS) or online.

fpcity@freepress.mb.ca