Police investigating string of purse snatchings
By FOX 12 STAFF
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VANCOUVER, WA (KPTV) — Police in Vancouver are urging people to stay alert after a string of purse snatchings in parking lots.
Officers have responded to multiple reports in the past week. Police say in each case, a man walked up to a woman in a parking lot or public area, grabbed her purse, then got into a waiting car. Within minute, the thief starts using the victim’s credit cards.
FOX 12 spoke with Christine Cummins, who says it happened to her while she was loading groceries into her car at a Vancouver Fred Meyer last Wednesday night.
“He pulls his mask down and says ‘Ma’am’ and then grabs my purse, and as he grabbed one handle, I had the other and we were tug-of-warring and he just yanked and then took off,” Cummins said. “I just feel very violated, but you know, you can’t get that back.”
She says the man got into the back seat of a red car that was in the spot next to her. She then alerted her credit card companies, and got new keys for her house and car.
Police say the locations reported in the last couple of weeks have been near the waterfront and parking lots of stores in West Vancouver, but they are asking people to call them if they notice anything suspicious across the city.
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