Duo Distracts Grocery Store Shoppers & Steals Wallets

One woman engages a shopper in conversation while another person snatches the shopper's purse or wallet. Those type of thefts have been increasing lately in Roseville, police report. 

During a recent theft, one suspect is described as a Hispanic woman in her mid-20s, about 5'2" tall and about 120 pounds. The suspect is believed to have "bad teeth" and wavy brown, shoulder-length hair, according to Roseville Police. 

One theft was reported about 10:30 a.m. April 9 when the female suspect at a grocery store in the 1000 block of Fairway Drive struck up a conversation with a female shopper. When the victim got to the check-out station, she realized her wallet had been stolen from her purse. 

This type of theft was reported in Roseville last month as well. Around 6 p.m. March 6, a shopper reported the same type of incident, where a woman struck up a conversation with her while another person took the wallet out of the victim's purse. That theft occurred at a grocery store in the 6700 block of Stanford Ranch Road. 

In other cases, the suspects will steal a wallet from an unattended grocery cart if the shopper has walked away to grab some groceries, according to Roseville Police. 

The thieves then use the stolen credit cards to make unauthorized purchases at stores. 

Roseville Police said they have received many report of similar thefts throughout the city and offer a few tips:

• Watch out for strangers who try to engage you in conversation and distract you from watching your purse
• If you notice anyone acting suspiciously or snooping in someone else's purse, call 911 immediately
• Be ready to give the dispatcher a good description of the suspicious person(s)

If you recognize the women in the photos or have any information regarding this, call the Roseville Police investigations unit at 916-774-5070, or click here to email a tip.  

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