see also: in July 2008:   CBP Discovers 2.7 Tons of Marijuana on Cargo Box Truck   Holiday Travel Reminder for Northwest Border Crossers   CBP Officers Arrest Man Wanted for Failure to Register as Sex Offender   California SENTRI Participant in Hot Water, CBP Finds Dope in Vehicle   CBP Officers Arrest Man Wanted for Aggravated Sexual Assault on Minor   CBP Revokes Trusted Traveler Privileges After Finding Prohibited Items During Inspection ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

contacts for this news release

Long Beach, Calif. — An off-duty U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialist and a former CBP ag specialist helped an elderly couple after being robbed by two young men in Long Beach, Calif., Saturday.

The two were walking their dogs in the Long Beach area when they observed two young males following an elderly couple. They noticed the men acting suspiciously. Shortly thereafter, they witnessed one of the men grab the elderly woman’s purse and flee the scene with his accomplice.

Both officers immediately reacted by commanding their dogs to chase the two suspects. They both joined the pursuit and stayed closely behind their dogs. The two men eluded the dogs and the agriculture specialists; however, a witness who was driving by noticed the chase and observed the suspects run into a nearby apartment complex. The Long Beach Police Department was called and the agriculture specialists returned to the elderly couple to offer them assistance and comfort.

When the police arrived, the other witness led them to the apartment complex where the suspects had fled. The police found and arrested the two suspects. The agriculture specialists positively identified the two suspects and gave police a statement of what occurred.

Fortunately, the elderly couple was not injured. The man, in his late 70s, had just been released from the hospital the prior week and was on his way to the pharmacy for medication. Thanks to the quick thinking of all involved, the couple’s personal property was recovered and they were spared any serious injury.

The agriculture specialists do not wish to be identified. They stated, “Our involvement in the apprehension of the purse snatchers was done due to our outrage over victimization of an elderly couple out for an afternoon stroll.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.