Newport — A Vermont woman who already was out on bail on a robbery charge pleaded not guilty last week to her alleged role in an August scheme to steal a 93-year-old woman’s purse in Claremont.

Jennifer Graham, who allegedly served as the getaway driver, entered a not guilty plea to a felony charge of conspiracy to commit robbery on Thursday.

Judge Brian Tucker released her on $500 bail.

Police allege that on Aug. 27, Graham, 36, and Heather Deem, 41, both of Mount Holly, Vt., devised a plan to rob the elderly woman in the Market Basket parking lot to get money to pay back Graham’s drug dealer.

Deem told police that she gave Graham a ride to Claremont to purchase drugs and that Graham “ripped the woman off” and needed a way to get quick cash because the dealer was threatening her, according to an affidavit written by Claremont police Capt. Stephen Lee.

Deem told police Graham came up with the idea to snatch a purse at random; Deem allegedly executed the robbery, the affidavit states.

The women went to the supermarket off Washington Street that afternoon and Deem approached Anna Richard’s vehicle, according to police. Deem helped Richard put her groceries in her trunk and returned the shopping cart for her.

As Richard walked toward her driver’s side door, Deem allegedly punched her from behind and pushed her up against her car, and yanked her purse off of her arm before getting back into the car with Graham, according to Richard and eye witness statements.

Richard didn’t suffer significant injuries, police said.

The women were taken into custody shortly after the robbery, when their car ran out of gas and pulled into the Claremont transfer station, which is just a few miles east of Market Basket off Route 103.

Lee, the officer, was returning from training in Concord around 4:45 p.m. that evening when he passed the transfer station and noticed two vehicles parked there. The dump was closed that day, and he saw a woman walk into the breakdown lane and try to flag down a vehicle. Lee stopped, according to his affidavit.

Two of the people in the transfer station lot that evening said that Graham and Deem had just committed a robbery, the affidavit states.

Officers searched their vehicle and found “a variety” of purses and handbags.

According to the affidavit, Deem told police that she threw Richard’s purse into the woods, where police recovered it.

Deem allegedly took about $120 from Richard, according to the affidavit. She failed to appear for her arraignment on Sept. 6 and later that month was arrested on a warrant. She has pleaded not guilty to robbery. Tucker also released her on bail. Deem is slated for trial in February.

Police recently picked Graham up on an arrest warrant. She also faces a robbery charge out of Vermont. In that case, she allegedly told police a similar story — that she was in debt to a drug dealer and feared for her safety, Hathaway said.

Graham is due back in court on Jan. 10.

Jordan Cuddemi can be reached at jcuddemi@vnews.com or 603-727-3248.

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