Syracuse (WSYR-TV) -- Think it’s safe to tuck your purse under the seat of your car? One woman recently found out the hard way, it’s not.
The woman was parked in a busy Carousel Center parking lot and was gone for just 50 minutes. But that 50 minutes was enough time for a thief to break into her car and steal her purse.
Police aren’t sure, but they think the thief may have been watching her.
By the time the woman alerted her credit card companies, a van, caught on camera, had already come and gone at the Price Chopper on Erie Boulevard. A woman got out of the van with one of the victim’s cards and used it to rent a Red Box movie. The victim’s cards were also used at a convenience store in East Syracuse. And right now, this is the best lead detectives have to finding the purse snatcher.
“It's not the greatest video, but there are some distinctive things about it,” said Syracuse Police Sergeant Tom Connellan said. “She has kind of big, poofy hair…in poofballs on the top of her head.”
“That might be something that is distinctive to someone, that together with that minivan, and someone who wears their hair in that hairstyle, might tell us who the suspect is,” Sgt. Connellan continued.
One more note: Report your lost or stolen credit cards right away, because thieves don’t waste any time.
See the surveillance video attached to this story (
mobile video). If you recognize the suspect or have any clues that could help police in this case, call the tip line at 442-5222.
