Police: Woman Fights Off Robber in ShopRite Parking Lot, 2 Arrested

Two people who attempted to rob a woman in a West Babylon ShopRite parking lot Wednesday afternoon were quickly arrested, police said. 

Police said Frankie Campanelli, of Lindenhurst, and James Brescia, of North Babylon, were sitting in a vehicle in the parking lot of the supermarket, located at 64 Route 109, when Brescia got out of the car and forcibly attempted to take the purse of a woman who was placing her groceries in the rear of her vehicle, which was in the same parking lot, police said. 

Police said Brescia pushed and pulled the woman to the ground, but the woman was able to fight the robber off of her. Campanelli and Brescia then fled in their vehicle southbound on Route 109 towards Little East Neck Road, police said. 

Surveillance video of the incident, which occurred around 2:10 p.m., led to the arrest of Campanelli, 24, and Brescia, 29, "a short while later" on Tuesday, police said. Both are charged with second degree robbery: aided by another.  

Following their arraignments on Thursday, Campanelli was released on $15,000 bond. Brescia remains in jail and is being held on $25,000 cash bail or $75,000 bond.