SALISBURY — Phillip Andrew Ridley Sr. of Asheboro was convicted of felony larceny Tuesday in Rowan County Criminal Superior Court.

Ridley admitted his status as a habitual felon. Judge Lori Hamilton sentenced him to a minimum of 67 months to a maximum of 93 months in prison.

On Feb. 20, 2017, Salisbury Police Department officers were dispatched to Marshall’s department store to investigate a report of a larceny. The loss prevention officer said a man, later identified as Ridley, and a woman took several purses from the store.

A witness in the parking lost told officers that the suspects fled and provided a description of their vehicle. A short time later, officers located the vehicle and recovered 12 purses with a value of over $1,000.

Ridley was previously convicted of felony breaking and/or entering a motor vehicle, felony possession of a stolen motor vehicle and felony possession of firearm by felon, among other convictions.

Rowan County District Attorney Brandy Cook said if her office had not prosecuted Ridley as a habitual felon, he could have received as little as one year in prison.