NATCHEZ —Two locals allegedly involved in local grocery store purse snatchings have been arrested.

Jimmy Allen King, 31, 1307 Magnolia Ave., and Ashley Renee King, 24, 148 Ralph Road, Vidalia, were arrested Monday afternoon by the Natchez Police Department.

Natchez Police Chief Mike Mullins said on April 10, Jimmy King and Ashley King allegedly stole a purse from a cart in Wal-Mart, and as they were being chased by the victim, they dropped the purse and left the store.

Four hours prior to that incident, both of them allegedly took a purse from the Natchez Market and were not apprehended then, Mullins said.

“We worked those cases back then and the investigators developed enough information to charge both of them with petit larceny,” Mullins said.

Warrants were issued for them, and on Monday, Sgt. Craig Godbold spotted them on Highland Boulevard and arrested them.

Ashley King had 240 oxycodone pills in her purse, Mullins said. They were prescribed but not to her.

Ashley King was charged with felony possession of a controlled substance and because Jimmy King was acting in concert, Godbold said he was also charged with possession of a controlled substance.

Ashley King was also charged with two counts of petit larceny and Jimmy King also received three bench warrant charges for two counts of failure to pay and one count failure to appear.

Mullins said shoplifting charges are pending for Jimmy King.

Jimmy King is being held on a $884 bond and Ashley King is being held on a $704 bond.