80-Year-Old Woman's Purse Stolen In Store: Oakland County Sheriff

OAKLAND COUNTY, MI — Oakland County deputies are asking the public's help identifying a woman they said swiped an 80-year-old woman's purse from a grocery store.

Detectives said the victim accidentally left her purse in the vestibule of a Kroger store while she was taking her groceries to the car. The larceny happened about 3:45 p.m. on Sunday at Kroger, 5990 Sashabaw Road in Independence Township.

Surveillance videos clearly show the suspect taking the purse, deputies said.

According to the sheriff's office, the victim, who is from Chicago but is staying with her daughter in Springfield Township, was grocery shopping at the store. After she finished, she called her daughter to meet her at the front of the store. While she waited in the vestibule with her groceries, she placed her purse on a window ledge.

When her daughter pulled up outside the store, the victim took her groceries to the car. The victim realized minutes later she had forgotten her purse. The daughter went to retrieve it, only to find that it was gone, deputies said.

The daughter informed the store manager of the theft who recalled just seeing a woman walk into the women’s bathroom with a purse matching the description. The purse was found in the The purse was found in the corner of the bathroom. The only thing missing was $100.

According to the sheriff's office, surveillance video shows the suspect enter the store with a reusable grocery bag slung over her shoulder when she spies the purse. She stops for a moment, turns, and walks back and grabs the bag and proceeds into the store.

A second video shows the suspect entering the women’s restroom with two bags. About three and a half minutes later, she is seen leaving the bathroom with the shopping bag but not the purse.

Anyone with information about the suspect should call the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office at 248-858-4911.