MEMPHIS, Tenn. — An accused purse snatcher may be afoot in East Memphis — or at least on a motorized scooter.
Patricia Baker said she was shopping at Kroger on Polar near Kirby on Friday night when she noticed a woman on a motorized shopping cart following her.
“It was obvious she didn’t need a cart, because she kept getting out of it and walking up and down the aisle,” Baker said. “Every time I picked something out to put in my basket, she would pick the same item out. She’d put it in her basket.”
She then reached for wiper fluid.
“That’s when she grabbed my purse and went out the door,” said Baker.
That’s right, she ran out the front door and left the scooter in the aisle.
Baker’s purse carrying her wallet, keys and jewelry was gone.
She called the cops.
“The police were able to fingerprint the items and the cart she was in,” she said.
She also called her bank.
“They told me she already bought her burgers at Back Yard Burger and used a Lyft driver and went somewhere to get some type of dessert,” said Baker.
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Police and Kroger staff watched the security footage.
Turns out, this wasn’t the first time this has happened.
Just days before, police believe the same woman rode a scooter through the store and swiped a purse off another shopper using a motorized scooter.
We asked for a copy of the footage, but the detective has yet to respond.
Baker said she calks this one up as a lesson learned.
“Never leave my purse in the shopping cart again,” she said. “I advise women to only purchase bags like a cross body, so they have to fight you to get the bag off of you.”
We reached out to Kroger for a comment. They told us this is an ongoing investigation and referred us to police.
