An 84-year-old woman was the victim of a daytime purse-snatching in the BJ’s parking lot on Universal Drive in North Haven, and the Monday, May 15 incident was caught on video.
The security video shows the woman loading items into the back of her SUV from a cart, when a second SUV pulls up next to her. A man hanging out of the second SUV then grabs the woman’s purse from her cart and the vehicle he’s in speeds away.
North Haven police say that vehicle was stolen and has been involved in similar crimes in neighboring towns.
The NHPD put the video of the purse-snatching on social media, stating that criminals prey on females shopping alone, and that the elderly are often targeted.
In the post, the NHPD says, “One way to prevent purse snatching is not to carry a purse, or to carry it in a way that makes it quite inaccessible, such as wearing it under your coat. Many women think that wearing a shoulder bag with the strap diagonally across their body is a good idea but, in fact, if someone grabs the purse in that position and tries to run with it, it can catch the strap around your neck. Keeping your purse close to your body, and your arm over, it makes it a little bit harder for someone to grab the purse. Also, being aware of who is around you is also very important.”
When at a store, the NHPD advises placing one’s purse in a shopping bag, not simply in a shopping cart, and says never to carry anything more valuable than you can afford to lose.