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PD: Woman wakes to find Tempe hotel worker trying to stealing money from her purse

Posted at 11:25 AM, Oct 18, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-18 22:30:05-04

A woman woke up in her Tempe hotel room by a man trying to steal money from her purse.

Court records show that on September 27 around 2:45 a.m. a woman was sleeping with her husband in their hotel room when she awoke to find a man trying stealing money from her purse. That man turned out to be recently hired as security for the hotel.

Tempe police report that a couple was sleeping in their hotel room at the Doubletree Hotel near Priest Drive and Broadway Road. It was about 2:45 a.m. when the woman woke to find a man, later identified as 21-year-old Anthony Stricklin, "crouched at the foot of the bed, going through her purse."

The woman screamed, and when Stricklin looked up, she saw he was wearing what appeared to be a hotel uniform.

Stricklin was gone when police arrived, but he left behind his radio and keys. The hotel told police that there were only four people on duty at the time and Stricklin was the only one that matched the victim's description. 

Police say Stricklin was a temporarily hired for security at the hotel.

He was located and arrested in central Phoenix on October 12. During his interview with police, Stricklin reportedly admitted to being in the room, and he tried to steal the cash but was startled when the woman screamed. 

He was also found to have an outstanding warrant.

He is now being charged with burglary.