ATTLEBORO - A suspect in a North Attleboro purse snatching in 2003 was arraigned Thursday after completing a 5 1/2-year prison term in Rhode Island for similar offenses.

Matthew Zitto, 50, of North Providence, R.I., pleaded innocent in Attleboro District Court to larceny from a person after a judge rejected his guilty plea in return for a disposition that would allow him to avoid any more prison time.

Judge Richard Savignano ordered Zitto held in jail on $3,000 cash bail and continued the case to Aug. 29.

Zitto is accused of stealing the purse from a 35-year-old woman in the parking lot of Shaw's supermarket on Feb. 12, 2003, while the woman was placing her groceries in her car and left her purse in the carriage.

Police in 2003 had arrested an accomplice, Andrea Wetmore, 39, of Narragansett, R.I., who has already served jail time for the incident, North Attleboro Detective Lt. David Dawes said. Police had obtained a warrant for Zitto who was paroled about two weeks ago but was held on a fugitive warrant at the Adult Correctional Institution on the North Attleboro charge.

North Attleboro police took him into custody after he waived a rendition hearing Wednesday in Rhode Island.

The woman's credit card was used to buy $182 in merchandise from the CVS Pharmacy on Diamond Hill in Cumberland, R.I., police said.

About $1,000 in unauthorized checks were used from the victim's checkbook to purchase goods from Wal-Mart, Target and Best Buy, police said.