EMPLOYEES CHASE PURSE SNATCHER.

Byline: Greg Botonis Staff Writer

PALMDALE - A 63-year-old Wal-Mart employee wrestled a stolen purse away from a purse snatcher, then other store employees chased the thief into an adjoining neighborhood, deputies said.

Deputies spent four hours Thursday searching yards and garages for the man, finally arresting a suspect seen walking in the Wal-Mart parking lot - where he had left his car. Arrested was Luther Burleigh, 35, of Palmdale, who was booked on suspicion of grand theft assault with a deadly weapon.

Deputies said the theft occurred about 9:45 a.m. inside the store on West Avenue P. A 25-year-old woman spotted a man trying to take her purse from her shopping cart, where she had tied it to the handle. When she yelled at him to stop, the man freed the purse and ran for the front door.

The thief ran for the exit but collided with the door, deputies said. A Wal-Mart ``greeter,'' a 63-year-old woman who welcomes customers to the store, grabbed for the purse. After the man struck her, she wrestled away the purse and he ran out.

``He was slowed down because he tried to go out the wrong door,'' said Deputy Paul Ullman. ``The store employee got the purse from him before he ran out.''

The thief next was spotted walking west on Avenue P near a gas station by Wal-Mart employees, who chased him across the street into the Antelope Valley Country Club Estates.

Deputies used a police dog to search for the thief, but found only his jacket. They had just called off the search when a deputy spotted Burleigh in the store parking lot.

Because of cuts and bruises he suffered while fleeing from the Wal- Mart employees, Burleigh was taken to Antelope Valley Hospital and then released to sheriff's deputies, authorities said.