A woman suffered minor injuries Wednesday night when a man threw her to the ground and stole her purse as she walked near downtown Palo Alto, police said.

The woman, who is in her 50s, was walking in the 300 block of Bryant Street at about 7:40 p.m. when the man came up to her without warning, forced her to the ground and demanded her purse, police said.

As the woman screamed, the man succeeded in pulling her purse from her grasp, police said. He then ran away, heading north on Bryant Street.

The woman told police that she saw the suspect get into a black vehicle parked a short distance away on Bryant, police said.

The victim suffered a bloody nose and a bruised arm in the fall, police said. She was treated at the scene by Palo Alto Fire Department personnel, police said.

She described her attacker as a black man in his 20s with a tall, thin build who was wearing dark clothing.

Police are investigating whether the robbery is related to two recent armed robberies in the city.

One occurred on Jan. 22, when an armed suspect robbed a man and woman walking in the 300 block of Ramona Street. The second happened Feb. 9, when an armed person robbed a man in the 1000 block of Tanland Drive, police said.

Palo Alto police said people should remain aware of their surroundings while taking walks, and call 911 to report any suspicious behavior.

Anyone with information about the robberies is urged to call the Palo Alto Police Department's dispatch center at (650) 329-2413.