Purse snatchers caught thanks to alert victim
Charges have been leveled against a pair of local women accused of stealing purses from customers at Wal-Mart.
The suspects, Teresa N. Baker, 46, and Betty E. Conley, 36, are both charged with forgery and theft for allegedly stealing purses over the weekend from shoppers at Wal-Mart. The purses were snatched from shopping carts when the shoppers were not looking.
The arrests of the women came after they grabbed their second purse of the weekend. In that case, the victim called her credit card company shortly after realizing her purse had been taken. The woman was advised during her call to the credit company her card had just been used at Country Club Market.
Deputies were immediately dispatched to Country Club Market where they talked to a clerk who remembered the card being used. She also knew the identity of the woman who used the card since the suspect lived near the store.
Moments later lawmen arrived at nearby Lakeview Apartments and conducted a search on the vehicle in which the suspects had arrived at Country Club Market. Several items stolen in the purse-snatching incidents were found in the car, resulting in the arrests of the women for both Wal-Mart thefts. It was later discovered the women had also passed checks found in one of the purses.
According to McMinnville Police Capt. Bryan Denton, the incidents demonstrate the need for shoppers to be careful about placing their purses in shopping carts.
“All it takes is a second for your purse to be snatched,” Denton said, recommending ladies keep their purses on their shoulders and men place their wallets in their front pockets during the crowded holiday shopping season.
Denton said the second victim did the right thing by immediately reporting the loss of her credit cards and her quick work likely helped lead to solving the crimes.