Woman Steals Wallet With Victim Nearby

Investigators in The Village need help identifying a woman seen in Walmart surveillance video stealing another woman’s wallet.

Police said they don't think the suspect went into the store near Britton Road and Pennsylvania Avenue planning to snatch a wallet, but when in the line at checkout, police said she saw a crime of opportunity and seized it.

In the surveillance video the victim, who doesn't want to be identified, is seen putting her wallet next to the card reader and eventually grabs her groceries. 

But a person she knows walks up, they start to talk and she gets distracted.

Then, the woman behind her in line sees the wallet, and swipes it into her own purse.

“Couldn’t believe she had the nerve to do that right from under my nose,” the victim said.

“Our victim, she wasn’t more than six feet away when she picked it up so, don’t know if it’s her first time, but she’s pretty brazen about it,” said The Village police Chief Paul Kinman.

After stealing the wallet, cameras catch the suspect leaving store and driving off in her new Subaru.

The victim realized what happened. She called police, cancelled her credit cards and began to work on replacements for her ID and insurance.

She said she felt violated.

“Someone took all my personal stuff and that’s kind of scary,” she told News 9.

The victim knows now to be more aware of her surroundings and watch her belongings, but she still hopes the thief is held accountable.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Village police at 751-9564.