Police warn elderly women after string of purse snatchings in Gig Harbor
Dec 13, 2024, 4:32 PM
A law enforcement vehicle's lights. (Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
Police in Gig Harbor are warning elderly women to be on the lookout for purse snatchers after three women were attacked in grocery store parking lots this week.
The attacks started Monday when a 77-year-old woman was robbed. An 80-year-old woman was attacked in a different parking lot on Wednesday and on Thursday it happened to a 73-year-old woman.
“In the first incident, the 77-year-old woman was knocked to the ground and sustained some significant injuries to her face,” Gig Harbor Police Chief Kelley Busey told KIRO Newsradio. “Ended up breaking her nose.”
More from James Lynch: King County expert urges parents to talk to children amid teacher abuse allegations
Chief Busey said it is unclear if the same suspects are responsible for all three attacks, but he believes it is likely as the attacks share similar characteristics.
“Two suspects drove up to a woman carrying her purse in a grocery store parking lot,” Busey said. “One jumped out of the car and pushed her down, took her purse from her forcibly, then fled in the vehicle. We are working leads in each of these cases. All independent leads, again trying to see if they’re all related to the same group of individuals.”
Police said they don’t have a solid description of the suspects but in one case, they were driving a stolen car. Crimes like these are not uncommon, especially during the holiday season. Police urge all women to exercise caution when leaving or returning to their car in grocery store parking lots.
“Women who carry purses shouldn’t leave them unattended in a cart,” Busey said. “If you are unloading groceries or something, go ahead and lock them up in the passenger compartment before you unload your groceries into the trunk.”
More crime: Scammers continue to target small Washington businesses
Or, don’t carry a purse and carry what you need in your pockets — anything to make yourself less of a target.
Anyone with information on these attacks should call 911.
James Lynch is a reporter at KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of James’ stories here. Follow James on X, or email him here.
