Purse-snatcher who preyed on older women sentenced to three years in prison

A Winnipeg man who targeted female seniors during a month-long purse-snatching spree has been sentenced to three years in prison.

“This isn’t just a matter of opportunity, this is a matter of forethought,” provincial court Judge Jay Funke said at a sentencing hearing Thursday for Ryan Allingham.

“He targets these individuals because they are easier to steal from,” Funke said. “It doesn’t get much worse — he’s stealing from little old ladies.”

Allingham, 49, pleaded guilty to multiple charges of robbery and theft involving eight victims, six of whom were between the ages of 62 and 82.

Court heard Allingham rode by the victims on a bicycle and snatched their purses as they exited or returned to their vehicles while shopping in the Polo Park and Crestview areas between July and August 2025.

Two of Allingham’s senior victims were knocked to the ground as he snatched their purses; one suffered a broken wrist.

Security video at the scene clearly identified Allingham in several of the incidents, as did security video at nearby service stations and beer vendors where he was seen a short time later using newly stolen credit cards, said Crown attorney Ben Wickstrom.

“The evidence in a number of the cases… was quite strong,” Wickstrom said.

“It’s notable that but for two individuals, (the victims) tended to be largely elderly women” with a “high degree of vulnerability.”

At the time of his October arrest, Allingham was bound by an 18-month supervised probation order that had been imposed following convictions for assault, theft and multiple breaches of court orders. Prior to that, Allingham had not run afoul of the law for 16 years.

Court heard Allingham has struggled with substance abuse since his sister’s death when he was a teenager. More recently, Allingham was living “hand-to-mouth” on the street when he turned to purse-snatching to support a new addiction to methamphetamine.

According to a pre-sentence report provided to court, Allingham admitted he specifically targeted women because they were vulnerable and because “men don’t carry their wallets on the outside.”

Allingham claimed no memory of the crimes, assumed no accountability for his actions and displayed no empathy for his victims, Wickstrom said.

“The sense you get is of someone who feels he is being railroaded by the system,” he said.

Funke said he appreciated the “desperation” Allingham experienced living on the street, “but there were plentiful options available to him other than preying on little old ladies in the community.”

Wickstrom recommended Allingham be sentenced to four years in prison. Defence lawyer Matt Munce argued he be sentenced to time served or be allowed to serve a conditional sentence in the community.

Funke said a four-year sentence would be “crushing” to Allingham’s prospects for rehabilitation and dismissed a conditional sentence as inappropriate given Allingham’s lack of community supports.

He credited Allingham for time served, reducing his remaining sentence to 20 months and ordered an additional three years supervised probation and Allingham’s participation in counselling, as recommended.

“If he gets the structural support that he clearly needs… I think Mr. Allingham can learn how to manage his demons and once again become a pro-social member of society.” Funke said.

dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca