BRICK TOWNSHIP — Police have issued a warning to women to keep a close watch on their purses and wallets this holiday season.
Four older women recently had their wallets taken from their purses at local stores, Capt. John E. Rein Jr. said.
All four incidents had the same scenarios. The victims had their purses hanging from their shoulders. A black female distracted them by engaging in conversation, while another subject took the wallets out of their purses, Rein said.
Store surveillance video in some of the incidents also showed a black male in the area who is believed to have been the person who removed the wallets, he said.
All of the victim’s credit cards were used almost immediately at a local Target store to buy gift cards and ink jet cartridges.
Township police will be ramping up their annual holiday patrols with a mobile command vehicle in the major shopping centers like Brick Plaza soon, Rein said.
“Usually, it’s right after when the holiday season kicks in in full force, the weekend after Thanksgiving,” he said.
Officers will also do “roving” holiday patrols in shopping areas, he said.
Anyone with any information about the thefts should contact Detective Michael Bevacqua at 732-262-4612.