EDISON — Police are warning residents to keep their pocketbooks and valuables secure when out in public, in light of recent thefts.
At 12:41 p.m. May 5, police said, a pocketbook was stolen from a woman at the Menlo Park Mall. The pocketbook had been hanging on the hook of a bathroom stall while the person was using the bathroom. Edison Police Lt. Sal Filannino, noting that a similar incident occurred at the mall during the holiday season, warned people not to hang their pocketbooks on the hooks.
Another incident occurred at the ShopRite on Route 1 at 2 p.m. May 2.
Filannino said the victim put her pocketbook in the front of her shopping cart, and when she turned away, an unknown suspect removed her wallet from the bag.
“The victim turned back around and noticed that the male had her wallet,” Filannino said. “When she confronted the suspect, he told her ‘This shows you a lesson not to leave your stuff unattended,’ and then handed the wallet back to the victim. The suspect then fled out of the store.”
Nothing was taken in that incident, but Filannino said Edison police have received several other reports in which items were taken.
— Kathy Chang