Man with knife steals purse from Cedar Rapids pedestrian

Police said a man with a knife confronted a woman in the darkness and stole her purse Monday night.

According to a police report, Alexis Johnson, 24, was walking in the 700 block of Fifth Avenue SE around 8:40 p.m. when a white male with blond hair displayed a kitchen knife and demanded her purse.

"She froze and he grabbed it from her," Sgt. Cristy Hamblin said.

Johnson was shaken but not injured, police said. The purse and its contents were valued at $75.

The suspect, described as around 19-25 years old, between 5-foot-8 and 5-foot-10, ran north through a parking lot, police said. He was last seen wearing a gray hooded sweat shirt.

Johnson told police she had never seen the man before. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police at (319) 286-5491.