Lexington Police: system failure did not delay arrest of accused purse snatcher

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ)- There are new concerns a man accused of several purse thefts could have been put behind bars sooner. Police arrested Adam Wade Monday, but officers pulled him over Friday, then let him go. Now, a woman who says she is one of his victims is spekaking out.

She does not want to reveal her name, but she says Wade took her purse Thursday at the Boston Road Kroger. Now, she is just thankful he has been caught even when some wonder if it could have been sooner.

“I screamed, ‘Help me! Help me! Help me!'” she said.

Help her people did, trying to pull Wade out of his car until he took off, but then, relief. Police put wade behind bars. He faces 16 charges.

“I’m just glad that they finally got him,” she said.

Could Wade have been arrested sooner, though? There are concerns he could have been because of an arrest warrant that references a Friday traffic stop. It says police pulled Wade over Friday, saw three purses in the car he was driving, and let him go. He is then accused of going on to steal at least two more purses, including one from a woman he badly injured.

“I felt bad because she did what those people were doing with me, trying to get it back,” the woman ABC 36 spoke to said.

Police say when officers pulled Wade over Friday their records system was not working because it was preparing for a power outage that did not end up happening. Officers say that meant they could not confirm information about the purses they found in the car.

The warrant says officers cited Wade for a traffic violation then let him go, but took the three purses. After further investigation, officers were able to return the purses to their owners.

“That was a good feeling. That was a good feeling to have everything back,” she said.

A police spokesman says even if the records system was working, officers would not have been able to arrest Wade during that Friday traffic stop. They still had more to do, including getting a warrant, before they could lock him up. The spokesman added, “Ultimately, it was the officers’ thorough investigation efforts that linked the incidents together and lead to the arrest”.

Leaving the woman ABC 36 spoke to incredibly grateful.

“I want to tell people, ladies especially, be aware, and if somebody gets after you, scream and you will get a response, I promise,” she said.

She also says she plans on now trying to just take one credit card to the store rather than her whole purse.