Code Enforcement Officer Tackles Purse Snatching Suspect

Ferndale Code Enforcement Officer Joseph Piro wasn't hired to stop suspected purse thieves. But on Tuesday afternoon, that's exactly what he did.

At around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Gretchen Marshall and her daughter Molly were sitting at the patio at , 201 E. Nine Mile Rd., when Jesse Zalesky allegedly reached over the concrete half wall, grabbed Gretchen Marshall's purse and took off, according to the police report.

Witnesses of the incident stated in the report that they overheard the suspect say "thank you" before he took off with the purse.

The suspect ran west, through the alley between Nine Mile and Vester. Gretchen Marshall ran after the suspect, with Molly Marshall yelling.

At that point, Piro was stopped at a light at southbound Bermuda and East Nine Mile Road. According to reports, Piro heard Gretchen Marshall yelling, "He took my purse!"

Piro pursued the suspect through the alley with his vehicle, but as the suspect started running north in the alley along Woodward, Piro exited his vehicle.

"Piro caught Zalesky on Vester and tackled him to the ground," the report stated. "Piro advised that Zalesky still had Gretchen's purse in his hand but dropped it when he was tackled. Piro grabbed the purse and threw it on the curb."

The suspect was held down until Ferndale Police arrived, taking Zalesky into custody.

Zalesky, 23, of Detroit, was arraigned in 43rd District Court on charges of larceny from a person. A not guilty plea was entered for the defendant. Magistrate Patrick Brennan issued a $25,000 bond for Zalesky, who will next appear in court Aug. 11 at 1 p.m. for a preliminary exam conference.