In Gig Harbor this month, three women in their 70s and older experienced the unfortunate incident of having their purses snatched within the same week.
According to Gig Harbor Police Chief Kelly Busey, three incidents occurred at various times on December 9, December 11, and December 12. The incidents took place in different grocery store parking lots and targeted women between the ages of 73 and 80.
According to Busey, there were at least two suspects involved in each incident. However, it is still unclear whether the suspects were the same in all three cases.
On December 9th, the victim’s purse was snatched by two individuals on foot. Two days later, a person jumped out of a car, driven by someone else, to commit a similar crime. The pattern repeated on December 12th, with the police confirming that the suspects were using a stolen vehicle during that incident.
As of Busey’s phone call with The News Tribune around 2 p.m. Wednesday, the vehicle has not been recovered yet.
In two instances, the women had been busy loading groceries into their cars when they unintentionally left their purses unattended in their shopping carts.
As Busey recounted the incident, he described how, when the individuals turned their heads, an unknown person attempted to snatch the purse from the cart.
According to a Facebook post by the Gig Harbor Police Department, one of the women involved in the incident suffered significant injuries to her face after falling to the ground during the altercation.
Residents were advised by the department to be vigilant and keep a close watch on their personal belongings.
The post emphasized the importance of safeguarding personal belongings by keeping them close and not leaving valuables unattended in carts or open vehicle trunks. It also advised being vigilant of one’s surroundings and being cautious of individuals or vehicles that may approach in public spaces. The safety of oneself should always take precedence over the safety of possessions.
According to Busey, incidents like these are not frequent in Gig Harbor, but they do occur in periodic waves.
The speaker expressed his hope that the limited number of instances referred to would be confined to just three. He emphasized the commitment to pursue these cases with the same level of dedication as any other.
When asked about the progress of the investigation, Busey mentioned that the police are actively pursuing some promising leads.
The Gig Harbor Police Department posted photos of two suspects using one of the victim’s credit cards after stealing her purse. If you have any information or know the individuals in the photos, please contact the detective working on the case at 253-851-2236.
