Purses stolen from shopping carts, Pittsfield Township police say
Pittsfield Township police are warning shoppers to keep their belongings close after a series of three thefts at different establishments along Carpenter Road last week.
In each case, belongings that were left out-of-sight for a moment were swiped.
On Oct. 5, a woman was loading items from her cart into her vehicle at Home Depot in the 3300 block of Carpenter Road when her purse disappeared, Detective Lt. Sean McCormick said. The purse was later found nearby with items missing, McCormick said.
On Oct. 9, a woman was in the checkout lane at Kroger in the 3200 block of Carpenter Road, put her cell phone down while paying and forgot to pick it up when she left, McCormick said. She returned after going out to her car and wasn't able to find the phone.
Also on Oct. 9, a woman was shopping at TJ Maxx in the 3100 block of Carpenter Road and left her purse in her cart unattended, McCormick said. When she returned to it, her purse, cell phone and keys were gone. McCormick said a woman turned in the phone to store personnel, and officers spoke to her and others with her, but they didn't have any of the property on them, McCormick said.
Anyone with information is asked to call township police at 734-944-4911.
Comments
RJA
Sun, Oct 17, 2010 : 9:53 p.m.
Fanny packs, waist packs are still available. In the summer I carry my pistol waist pack, it is large enough to hold all items I need for shopping. Other months, I wear Cabelas's jackets. (pockets galore) inside and out. Wallet in one pocket, car keys (with pepper spray attatched) in another pocket. Cell phone in another pocket. Whisle (sp) around my neck with light cord. I don't shop alone after dark. (any time, day or night doesn't make much difference anymore) there are desperate people out there. I remember 60 yrs. ago my mom was out in the garden picking strawberries, she saw a man running from the front door with her purse in his hand running to the corner of the road where he jumped in a car. My baby sister was asleep in the bedroom where he grabbed the purse off of her dresser. Pretty sad now days when you spend a few hours out in the yard, or garden and you have to shut the garage door, lock all others doors and carry the house keys and cell phone outside with you. Adding to this, if your puppy is outside with you, keep him leashed and near you. Just a couple weeks ago I had an un-leashed dog that doesn't like small animals jump my puppy and broke his ribs. Human and dog crimes...continue. We just do what we have to, to protect our selves, purses, animals and property.
cath808
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 10:14 a.m.
@Val - I am the same as you!! It bothers me to no end to see how careless people can be, how unaware of their surroundings and who is near them. I've told lots of women too and most are thankful but you do get the feeling that "they know better than you" and that it "will never happen to me" so I keep my mouth shut now. I was at Target on A2-Saline yesterday and there was a cart with a purse WIDE OPEN sitting in the child seat and the woman who owned it was maybe 20 feet away looking at vacuums and not paying any attention. I told her I wanted to move her cart out of the way to get passed and she just kept looking at vacuums. I could have taken her entire purse in a second and she wouldn't have known. @Charis - I also strap my purse into the cart as an added safety measure but also never leave my cart unattended. People need to stop being so careless and delusional and think that it would never happen to them.
breadman
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 9:50 a.m.
Child safety straps work wonders!!! Best thing to place on top of your purse is a bag of chips... The crinkle of the bag will get your mind on the purse. So come on move my bag of chips....I will hear you.......
charis
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 9:16 a.m.
I take the child seat belt in grocery carts and put it through the straps on my purse. That way no one can do a grab and run. To make sure they can't open a zipper - should i be too distracted to notice-and grab my wallet,I also put a bunch of bananas and other such items on top. Voila! Safe!
MI-expatriate
Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 10:22 p.m.
There are purses available with enough strap length to go across the body diagonally and slim enough to carry the essentials even under a winter coat. Beyond that, if a woman is in a supermarket and puts her purse into a cart, it is not difficult to always keep a hand on the purse and cart simultaneously. These are crimes of opportunity. No one is likely to wrestle a purse from the grip of a woman in a crowded supermarket but if she is totally oblivious to where her purse is, different story. I don't want to blame victims but vigilance pays, whether a woman with a purse is shopping or stopping.
A2Woman
Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 9:46 p.m.
@Val-great that you try to help other women. My purse has been stolen twice in my lifetime. Once in a grocery store, in a cart as described in this article. The second time from a desk drawer in my office at the Chamber of Commerce in Columbia, MD. It is not easy to replace everything lost once your purse is stolen. The third time someone tried to steal my purse, I fought him for it and won. The police in Augusta, GA told me that was a mistake, and I was lucky. I cringe when I see women leave their purses in their vehicles, or in unattended shopping carts.
Val
Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 9:35 p.m.
When I go shopping in a grocery store I always see women leaving their purses unattended in their carts while reading a label and many times moving away from their carts. I have approached some of them to tell them that their purse could be stolen. Many get angry with me. I have stopped telling women to watch their purses. Large purses are also targets unzipped and on their shoulders. An easy pick from behind. Perhaps the stores should have a picture reminding women to protect their purses. When one is busy one does forget things no matter who they are.
thehawk
Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 5:45 p.m.
talker: Fashionable or not, I use a waistpack so I always have everything I need, handsfree! Bonus is that I can't walk off and leave it someplace. They have nice ones at the shoe repair place in Briarwood mall. They are a little more than I would like to pay normally, but this one has far outlasted any others I've ever had.
talker
Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 5:17 p.m.
Of course, I always carry a cell phone when driving anywhere. Even when carrying a purse instead of putting money into my pockets, I often put my cell phone into one pocket and keys into another pocket.
talker
Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 5:12 p.m.
Yes, I was thinking about that, too. I once found a cell phone in a rest room at J C Penney in Briarwood. I picked it up with a paper towel (because I found it in a stall), and when a nearby staff member wasn't any help, carried it to the catalog desk at the opposite end of the store. Fortunately the employee there thanked me and this person who turned in a cell phone should have been thanked, too. Wearing a shoulder strap purse can deter a shopper from putting a purse in a basket. Carrying a smaller purse helps, too. Sometimes I used a hand basket and throw a small purse and keys into that basket, but I always hold the basket. I have a couple of old purses that I wear around my waist, but unfortunately that style isn't popular (or available) now. It would be nice if we could trust everyone, but we can't. There are times I've gone out at night, especially in winter, with just a narrow wallet or change purse holding my driver's license, some money, and a credit card, and sometimes my medical center card and gym card. This fits into a coat or jacket pocket, even inside pockets. November through February are good times of the year to take those precautions, especially after 7 or 8 o'clock at night.
Ricebrnr
Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 4:50 p.m.
"McCormick said a woman turned in the phone to store personnel, and officers spoke to her and others with her, but they didn't have any of the property on them, McCormick said." And thanks to the good Samaritan, you're reward is....an interrogation!
djm12652
Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 3:36 p.m.
Hey stevek...wow...what a new concept for some of these victims.
stevek
Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 2:52 p.m.
Here is a tip!!! 1)Don't leave your purse sitting in the cart. 2)Don't forget to pick up valuables. 3)Don't leave your valuables in your cart.