Two UNLV Athletes Arrested for Alleged Purse-Snatching

LAS VEGAS — A Nevada Las Vegas basketball redshirt and a football player who missed last season with eligibility problems were arrested Wednesday after they allegedly snatched a woman’s purse near the Las Vegas Strip, police said.

Lawrence West, 20, the basketball player, and Wayne Thompson, 19, were arrested after being stopped by police in a vehicle matching one described by tourists who witnessed the purse snatching, Metropolitan Police said.

Officers said they located some of the stolen items in the vehicle and reported finding stolen property belonging to seven other larceny victims. Officers also said they recovered $600 in stolen travelers’ checks and 30 stolen credit cards.

Thompson and West were booked into the Clark County Detention Center for investigation of possession of stolen property, possession of stolen credit cards and larceny from a person. Both face a Friday probable cause hearing in Justice Court.

Thompson, a 6-2, 220-pound linebacker, was suspended by UNLV football Coach Harvey Hyde pending court action. UNLV basketball Coach Jerry Tarkanian said he would wait and see what action to take against West, a 6-6 1/2 forward who transferred to UNLV from DePaul.