x
Breaking News
More () »

Man accused in elderly purse snatching in Nashville caught by Alabama police

Gilbert D. Ostring, Jr., 48, is suspected to be involved in a purse snatching that happened more than a week ago.

A man suspected of being caught on camera snatching an elderly woman's purse and knocking her down in Nashville is now behind bars in Alabama.

Police arrested 48-year-old Gilbert Dean Ostring Jr. in Scottsboro, Ala.

Ostring was wanted for the assault that happened more than a week ago and appears to have been arrested on separate charges in Alabama.

Ostring was booked into the Jackson County Detention Center around 7 p.m. on May 9 and faces a burglary charge of breaking and entering a vehicle and first degree theft of property exceeding $2,500 in Alabama.

A bond has not been set and it's unknown when he will be extradited back to Tennessee to face charges in the purse snatching incident.

Police said surveillance video shows Ostring drive up in his pickup to talk to the 70-year-old woman, grab her purse and drive away, knocking her down. She suffered broken bones in her right hand and injuries to her face.

Nashville Metro Police said Ostring was in Knoxville before the robbery reported on May 1.

WATCH: Video shows man stealing elderly woman's purse, knocking her down

Ostring has quite the lengthy rap sheet in Knoxville and his official criminal record goes back 30 years to when he was just 18 years old.

He's faced charges of property theft, fraudulent use of a credit card, forgery, and criminal trespass according to court documents.

Credit: WBIR

In 2004, Ostring was accused of stealing items from women's wallets from a long list of places, including church.

Teresa Kauffman was one of those victims.

She said she was working at Second Presbyterian Church on Kingston Pike when he walked in and took her wallet. According to Kauffman, he eventually ended up racking up over $1,000 in fraudulent purchase all over town.

"He's obviously someone who needs to be put away and kept there for a very long time," Kauffman said after learning of his latest accusation. "It seemed to be his MO was to be robbing churches."

For weeks, law enforcement said Ostring was had been able to elude them, but that all came to an end after deputies noticed him while leaving an unrelated traffic stop. According to investigators, Ostring drove his car backwards down Jefferson Avenue in an attempt to get away.

Officers said they then tried to surround his car, but Ostring proceeded to drive forward and backward in an attempt to escape.

It was at that point deputies said they shot at him when he almost ran an officer over.

Ostring has also been arrested several times in both Davidson and Williamson Counties. Some of his prior convictions include reckless aggravated assault, theft, forgery and identity theft.

He was released from prison in June 2017.

Before You Leave, Check This Out