Arrest in purse-snatching

A 24-year-old Palo Alto man was arrested on Halloween night after he allegedly grabbed a woman’s purse and made off with it into the men’s bathroom at Molly Magee’s in Mountain View.

According to police, Daniel Esquivel took the purse from the counter area of the bar and entered the bathroom with it just after noon on Friday, Oct. 31. Security staff was already in the bathroom confronting Esquivel on the alleged theft before the victim, a 41-year-old Redwood City woman, realized her purse was gone.

Police say Esquivel fought with security staff and was taken into custody when officers arrived, where he continued to be “uncooperative” and fought with police officers during the arrest process, according to Sgt. Saul Jaeger of the Mountain View Police Department. There were no injuries, and the purse was returned to the woman.

Esquivel was arrested on charges of petty theft, battery and resisting a police officer. Police said he was also in violation of his probation and received a probation hold. Esquivel was booked into San Jose Main Jail without bail.

Esquivel was also arrested in June after he allegedly attacked and robbed a group of five teenagers at a parking garage in Palo Alto. The group of teens told Palo Alto police they were throwing small, white “noise-makers” off of the parking garage roof and hit Esquivel with one. Police said Esquivel confronted the teens and shoved one of them, demanded money from another and threatened to throw them off the roof.