Wallet Theft Scams: Arvada Police Warn Of Crime Teams

ARVADA, CO – Arvada police are warning residents about a wallet-stealing scam in which thieves take advantage of women who hang their purses in restaurants.

According to a video created by the Arvada police department, women in public places who hang their purses behind them are likely to fall prey to teams of thieves targeting wallets. Thieves then take credit cards from wallets and purchase gift cards, police said.

The video shows two men (actors) who enter a cafe-style restaurant and sit behind a woman who has left her open purse hanging on a chair behind her. One of the "thieves" quickly snatches her wallet and pockets it. The two men then exit the restaurant.

"The thieves immediately go to the nearest retail store and buy gift cards with the credit cards they stole," the video's narrator says. "They often rack up between $1,500 to $25,000 depending on the number of cards in the wallet." Thieves are then seen in the video throwing the wallet in the trash.

Arvada police reported one theft from a restaurant in September, according to the Arvada Crime Map. But Arvada police have asked for the public's help this year identifying alleged credit card thieves.

Gift cards are often sold online – sometimes for only a fraction of their face value – and are relatively easier to hack than credit cards, according to retail business industry news sites.

Wallet stealing teams will often hit a certain area for one or two weeks, "then they move on to another state and commit the same crimes there," Arvada police said.

The Arvada police offer advice for people who want to hang onto their wallets: "Don't hang your purse out of sight and always be aware of those around you."

If your wallet and credit cards are stolen, the Attorney General's Stop Fraud Colorado site has tips and resources to protect you from identity theft. You can also find resources on the Federal Trade Commission's Identity Theft page.

You can see other Arvada Police videos here.

Image via YouTube.

Stay up-to-date on Arvada news with Arvada Patch! There are many ways for you to connect and stay in touch: Free newsletters and Email Alerts|Facebook