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Possible Wash. Co. purse snatch suspect caught on tape

06/13/2003

By ANTONIA GIEDWOYN and ABE ESTIMADA, kgw.com Staff

Authorities on Friday released photographs from a Fred Meyer surveillance tape of a shaven, white male who is a "person of interest" in several purse-snatching incidents in Washington County.

The photos show the man walking near customers or at a checkout counter of the Raleigh Hills Fred Meyer on May 13. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office received seven reports from mostly elderly victims saying their wallets or purses were taken from their shopping carts.

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Washington County sheriff's deputies are searching for a person of interest, right, who may have been involved in purse snatchings. (Police/KGW Photo)
In one case, the 76-year-old victim’s wallet was taken from her purse, which she was carrying on her shoulder. Investigators believe the thief saw the victim enter her PIN number at a checkout counter. After the wallet was stolen, the thief fraudulently rang up $8,000 worth of charges on the victim’s bank and credit cards.

Victims have been targeted in Fred Meyer, Safeway and Albertson’s since Jan. 28. The person of interest in the photographs appears to be between 30- and 40-years old. He has a shaved head and mustache. In surveillance tape, he was wearing sunglasses, a white, unbuttoned shirt, a black T-shirt and blue jeans.

Tape captured the man speaking with a white female between the ages of 40- and 50-years-old with gray-brown, medium length hair. The woman was wearing a red shirt, jeans and a red bandana on her head. Deputies are asking the public to call the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at (503) 846-2524 if they have information on the man or the woman pictured in the tapes.

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The person of interest, with a shaven head and sunglasses, in several Washington County purse snatchings is at a counter in a Fred Meyer. (Police/KGW Photo)
Deputies say it’s best to hold onto a wallet or purse and carry it close to one’s body rather than setting it in a shopping cart. Deputies also recommend carrying as few credit cards as possible. Someone whose purse or wallet is stolen should report it to police immediately and cancel all of the stolen credit cards.