Firefighters chase after backpack thief at Madison College, police say

Firefighters tried to chase down a robber at Madison College Monday night after he got away with a woman’s backpack, according to a release.

Paramedics were on a medical emergency call just before 8 p.m. at Madison College on Carroll Street when someone grabbed the backpack of a 24-year-old woman, officials said.

The woman was sitting on a bench in the second floor hallway when the man grabbed her backpack, which was next to her, according to the release. There was a struggle before the man got away with the backpack.

The woman yelled “Thief” and the nearby firefighters chased after the man, police said.

The firefighters were not able to catch the man, but Madison police officers found the woman’s backpack next to a dumpster in a nearby alley, according to the release. Valuables, including an iPad, were taken.

The man is described as white or Hispanic, in his mid- to late 20s with a shaved head and a short beard. He was wearing a gray T-shirt.