That's terrible!

It's not just Walmart--it's everywhere. There's a ring of purse snatchers working around here. They go to the malls, to the shopping centers, grab a wallet (they JUST take your wallet, not the whole purse and they do it someplace where you won't notice it right away). They're across the bridge to the next state, and using your cards before you realize the wallet is gone. Obviously, the police aren't interested in bothering to investigate, because of the jurisdictional issues. So nothing is done.

The other thing that's common around here-- Since many women think it's safer to leave their purse in the trunk when going to the movies, the gym, etc, often at those kinds of places, there are lookouts in cars, with binoculars, they watch which women stash their purses before going inside, then they pop the trunk and steal the purse--not only do you lose your cash, credit cards, paperwork--but you now have damage to your car.

I agree with Azzalea, it's not just Walmart by a long shot.

A friend of mine was at the dog park and someone jimmied the trunk lock and stole her purse. It was a nightmare getting all of her id replaced. She no longer takes her purse on trips like the dog park.

If I know I plan to leave my purse in the trunk, I take what I want out to put in a smaller purse, the put the purse in the trunk --at home, in the garage. When I get to the location, I just take my smaller purse with me without opening the trunk. I also put the purse way in back with something over it so it the trunk is opened, no one can see it.

crime is everywhere now it is just so scary that even our homes that we would think are safe and secure are now their targets.
Our street has had multiple break ins and some in broad daylight.
I have never lived anywhere that I had to be worried about stuff like that and I feel like I have to be locked up tight all the time.
I latch my purse onto my wheel chair with a carabiner, right on the side near my hand. I used to have one that I hooked onto the back of my chair but I could not watch it and was afraid someone would walk up behind me and snatch it.
My husband is terrible about not watching my purse if it is in the cart he is pushing, he will just walk off and go look at something leaving the cart un attended. Now I have it hooked with me in the chair. He has lost so many really nice water bottles I have bought for him because he just walks off and leaves them or forgets them in his cart.

These days you have to be so alert and watching everything and everyone around you at all times.
The alarms on my doors and windows are so loud I think they could wake the dead! I just hope they scare the heck out of bad guys.

I saw a great sign online for sale. It said this house is protected by the Good Lord and a Gun! You might meet both of them if you come in unwelcome.
House Protected by the Good Lord and a Gun Security

Too bad you called out Wal-Mart. It's happening in many different locales, not just Wal-Mart!!!!!

The article was on my AOL local page and I just copied the article as it was.

At the gym, I attend, we are constantly warned NOT to leave our purses in the car.

This post was edited by glenda_al on Fri, May 3, 13 at 19:35

There are folks who team up in the grocery store. One will ask for your opinion/assistance/etc about an item and "lure" you away from your cart, which has your purse in the seat. Their accomplice will pilfer your wallet.

People will steal anything.

I see people walk away from their carts with purses in the carts looking for items.

Makes you cringe.

I have left mine in the cart and walked to my car. Luckily the kind attendant had it and took it to customer service.

Now he reminds me when he sees me to not leave my purse in the cart.

Oh I agree, it can happen anywhere. I live in a neighborhood that's considered decent with minimal of crimes. Yet, my neighbor had her purse snatched from her arm as she got out of the car right in front of her home! It was daylight too. The robber had an accomplice in a car ready to pick him up and run off. My poor neighbor, she showed us her bruised arm as she came by to warn us about the incident.

I've since added an iron gate to keep me somewhat safe as I need time to take my wheelchair in and out of the van. I use a PacSafe purse and like Raven, I latch the handle over the wheelchair. I even went a bit further by insulating my wallet with aluminum sheets to prevent credit cards from being scanned. There are hard case wallets made for this reason but they aren't thick enough for my use. Using aluminum foil sheets work just as well and cost less.

We can't be totally safe but we can certainly do alot to keep it at minimum.

I have a police scanner app on my Kindle Fire. A few weeks ago I heard calls from gym and some other place where women left their purses in plain sight in the back seats of cars. Thieves just broke the window and reached in for the purses. In a matter of hours the thieves were caught.
I watch my purse every minute when I am shopping. If I go for a walk around the lake, I don't bring my purse. I put my keys, debit card, drivers license and cell phone in my pockets or in a backpack I can throw over my shoulder.

With some of the vehicles now, (like my Equinox)you don't even have a trunk to put your purse or anything else away out of sight. The engineers need to come up with a locked compartment so a person can put their camera, purse or something smallish out of any thieves eyesight.

our ds several years ago forgot to leave his wallet in the ca, and they jimmied the locker at the Y of all places...

All this snatch and grab reminds me about what one New Yorker did. It was in the middle of a garbage worker's strike and his garbage heap in his appartment was getting critical. He bagged it up in some fairly nice appearing bags and tied some red ribbon around it. He came out the entrance, pretended he forgot someting, set the bags down and went bag inside. Yep, the bags were stolen. One bag held doggy poo.

"Obviously, the police aren't interested in bothering to investigate, because of the jurisdictional issues. So nothing is done."

I think with everything that's going on the under staffed law enforcement, around here anyway they have some more serious matters to deal with. That is what they are telling us. That makes it even more frustrating when I see them sitting in their squad cars parked in a lot waiting for some crime wave to develop. Here unless there is a personal injury involved or a residence break in you must call the crime in if loss is less than $1000.00. I was robbed in England where they broke into my room and stole everything of value including a pair of running shoes, they took my shoes! I had to go down to the police station and had to insist on a report. One young Bobby showed me the CCTv video showing the crooks leaving the small hotel as well as catching them on camera using my credit card. One cop said to me, " what do you want us to do, go out and look for them ?" I thought if I don't calm down I was the one getting arrested that night.

I've never had a purse stolen, because I'm very careful. I wear a shoulder bag diagonal over my neck. I've seen open pocketbooks in grocery carts while the owners were looking at items on the shelves.

Purse snatching is an old, old crime - nothing new...and certainly not confined to Walmart properties.

It happens in all stores and shopping centers, to careless people.

The biggest defense is to appear aware and not cowering in fear - wherever you are.

There is one very high end shopping center near me that's especially problematic (it's where my wallet was stolen some years back, btw). It's in a fairly upscale town, and has one of the area's most desireable grocery stores, as well as a number of other high traffic stores and restaurants. But it's about 2 miles (maybe less) from one of the most dangerous cities in the country, and on the busline. As there are NO supermarkets in the entire city (because they've all closed due to the high level of shoplifting and other crimes) the city residents routinely head to this area--and they often don't have the money to do their shopping.

The crime in this particular shopping center is SO BAD that the employees of the grocery store ARE NOT PERMITTED to go to their cars alone at the end of their shifts. They're REQUIRED to go in groups. The police WILL NOT take a report if there's a fender bender in the parking lot of this shopping center. It's one of the places where the ring I mentioned above is VERY active.

And everytime I go to this particular grocery store I end up shaking my head in shock at the number of people who put their purses in the seat of the cart, then procede to ignore them while they shop--often walking away, often with their purses open and wallets or money showing. I have on many occasions, counted upwards of 25-30 unattended purses at this store while I was shopping. I used to warn people about the problem, but they'd look at me as if I
were the crazy one, and rarely heeded my advice to NOT leave their purse unattended.

Me? I hold onto the strap of my purse, and then I grasp the purse by the zipper as well. Oh, and I carry 2 wallets--one inside the main compartment that has a few $5 and $1 bills in it, the other has my 'real' money and my license, etc, and is safely stashed in an interior zipper pocket.

Oh, and there are anti-theft purses out there. They're expensive, but I'm so security conscious these days, I'm considering springing for one--just trying to decide which will best suit my needs

Any time I'm in a store with carts, I use the child seat belt to loop through the straps of my purse and then buckle it. I then put all my soft purchases on top of it so it's not visable. When I go to a place like Penney's I take out my credit card and put it in my pocket and leave the rest hidden under the seat of my car.

You should watch your purses where every you are...that was a snatch and run operation...anyone could and would have been taken in that situation at any store.

They had him on video and they will catch him...some one with a grudge will turn him in...or he will be recognized and they will catch him...I don't know where Canuck is from here but our police work a little differently..

You need to watch your purses EVERYWHERE! I see many women just leave their purse in the cart while they look at something. If you can't be watchful of it get one that hangs around your neck, like the messenger bag, its hands free.

I often leave my purse at home. I have my drivers license and credit cards in a small wallet. I'll carry that plus enough cash to cover my purchases. The wallet and cash go in a pocket inside my coat or front pants pocket. My husband had his passport stolen in Europe when he carried it in his back pocket.

You can wear your purse criss-crossed over your shoulder and around your neck to have your hands free (as I do), but still you should be careful about carrying anything that you value. Thieves have been known to come up behind their victim and cut the leather purse strap with a sharp knife and they are gone before the woman can react.

I had great fun a few years ago. I had to ride a bus that was known to have thieves that would steal a wallet out of woman's purse. It was a long ride, so I was knitting and the ball of yarn, some make-up, and receipts were all that was in my open purse; my valuables were in my pocket. Sure enough, a man stood above where I was seated on the crowded bus, pretending to read his fully open newspaper that extended over my purse. He didn't bother to look at my face while his hand extended into my purse. Other passengers were noticing, but the big smile on my face must have told them that I was enjoying watching him rooting around trying to find my wallet. He planned on a quick snatch and grab and this was taking too long and attracting attention. In frustration, he finally pulled the emergency cord and ran off the bus. I got applause.

Some years ago, our local newspaper reported that a woman, who had been robbed several times, put an open rat trap in her purse. The robber's hand was badly damaged and he took her to court. He WON, and she had to pay HIM. Go figure.

jemdandy, I had to grin about the trash "gifts". Wouldn't you like to have seen the look on the crook's face :-) Like shymilfromchi idea, too.

Like many of you, I've seen un-attended purses in carts. It is SOOO tempting to just move the purse - either into the cart or on the under shelf. Sure as shootin', tho, WE would be caught & accused!!

We all just have to be extra careful, period. This world is not getting any better. Sad, but true. And the bad all too often overlies the good things that happen.

sorta like the trash "presents": Friends of mine bought a new big screen tv to replace a tv that didn't work anymore. Well, what to do with the broken tv? They put it in the new tv box, put it in the back of their truck and went to the mall.

I was just at a bagel shop this morning, and as I was leaving, sitting on a table, unattended were two cell phones. There are stupid people everywhere, not just at Wallyworld. I wear my purse, or buckle it into the cart at the store, and still don't take my eyes off it. If I plan on leaving my purse in the trunk, I put it in BEFORE I leave home.
Former coworker thought we should all feel sorry for her because she routinely left her purse in her unlocked car at home and it got stolen. Um...no. Then she had to take time off work to get things replaced, which put a hardship on the rest of us. Sad thing was, she didn't realize it was missing right away and the thieves had themselves a right fine time with her money.

I only use a tiny purse with a long strap that crosses my body. Pretty tough to snatch it - unless they take me along. I talk too much so they would probably toss me back anyway.

I'm a little surprised at how many here are admitting they leave their purse in the cart seat--but 'hooked' in by the baby seatbelt. That's NOT going to protect you from the professional.

Pro's DON'T take your entire purse--that would be noticed before they got to the door of the supermarket, and they'd be caught immediately. The ones who do this for a living, work in pairs. One distracts you in some way, while the other slyly reaches into your purse to take your wallet--having your purse hooked to the cart WILL NOT PROTECT YOU FROM this thief, unless you have a locking purse.

Please, under NO CIRCUMSTANCES leave your purse in a cart, ever. You're not going to be pickpocketed every time, of course, but ONE time is too many in a lifetime, and there's no point in inviting it.

As I said above, I'm really considering buying one of the security bags that is slashproof, locks, and is generally safer than a regular fashion bag

On a daily basis I see shoppers walk away from their carts with purses left unattended. Drives me nuts!! I used to say something to them, very politely of course, but people get defensive, so I stopped. I had my purse stolen about 40 years ago and I'll never forget that nightmare.

In similar threads here I've mentioned that I wear a fanny pack, in front. I do not carry a purse anywhere, and in fact, I no longer even own one. If I'm going somewhere "dressed up'' I wear a jacket of some kind, with pockets, to hold car keys, a tissue. etc.

For grocery shopping I always wear a jacket because the stores are so chilly because of the AC, .so the fanny pack is under the jacket and can't be yanked off.

I don't understand being loaded down with the amount and diversity of things women deem necessary to have with them all the time.

And I have read that thieves look first under the front car seat to see if there is a purse there.

Don't blame the cops. It is your problem, not theirs.

Sue

I have spoken to elderly women to not leave their purses in the cart as they will steal your purse and they immediately thank me and grab their purse to them.

Watch out too as they can slice the bottom of your purse thinking you are safe.

I heard that they watch you put your purse in your trunk, have a friend that does that all the time.

If I had to go to park or somewhere, I would only take my wallet and put it in my pocket, that is why I like pockets on everything I wear so I could pop them in and so if need to go to store or stop somewhere have money and card on me to use.

Also all the ones that leave their cell phones, lap tops and other valuables in car and wonder why they got broke in. Anything including change they will break in your vehicle and take.

And putting your purse way back in the tunk and putting something over it won't work, if they break in they will go at everything and find it.

also heard that most women put their purses in their kitchen when they come through the door and keys too and if they are outside in the backyard, someone will come in and find those and steal not only your purse but your car too.

Also people are still not locking their vehicles, lock them up at all times no matter if you run in and run out, YOu could get delayed and time goes by that someone could have watched you, with all the remote keys they can tell by watching if you clicked it locked or not.

I had always thought those in chair or scooter hanging it in the back was a calling card to steal the purse and nothing they could do about it as they probably wouldn't even know until they go for it. Or the ones that have baskets in front, same thing grab it so fast and run like crazy and its gone.

Warning, don't leave windows down in car as I had looked after my two nephews on time years ago and they had a friend over who came with us to bank and we all got out and I did the instanbank and suddnely the friend had zipped ahead and he could put his arm in the window and unlock the door. I couldn't believe it as the window was not down that far either and he could put his arm in it. So, be careful about that too.

Just try not to carry anything more that you need in your purse.

They do tell you not to take valuables traveling as they can get stolen and absolutely no money left or your passport or birth certificate or tickets, have them locked up in hotel safe. Wear money belts.

I learned a hard way you can't trust anyone, I worked in a day care waiting for the last kids to be picked up and they came and I put my purse down for some reason instead of taking it with me to click out as I always did and came back and just like that gone. I had to call home and police as keys, and everything gone.
And then report it next day to the head person and they questioned who they were, didn't know them except knew that one boy due to his class he went too was by the toddler room I worked in and his dad who was always late in picking him up. But didn't know the other parents or kids but could you point them out, yes, I could and went to classrooms and pointed them out and the mom worked in a bank and don't know where the guy worked, they were living together, Found out their house was on the way home and next thing I knew the mom got fired from her bank job and the house was up for sale. They moved I believe to Ontario, nice to do in front of their kids. It was right before christmas and had all my christmas money to go and buy gifts, I didn't get anything back either, then also next day called and called before got through to cancel out cards, they were stolen and yes, police was called about it.

Next spring I get this phone call saying found your purse as they threw it in this huge snow bank by church across parking lot and the sisters found it. I never could use that purse again, its horrible having it stolen but when parents do with their kids right there, wow.

Years ago the mother of one of my daughter's friends was in Walmart when she said she was distracted by two women commenting how cute her grandchild was. While she was focusing on one woman the other woman took her purse from her cart and walked away. By the time she realized what happened both of the women were gone...

Not quite sure why some on this thread are calling-out and pointing a finger at WalMart.

You posters should be much more careful than just pointing your finger at one source as the problem-maker (i.e. WalMart).

Remember, some of the readers/posters on this board are sheeple (follow the crowd, unable to think for themselves) and will only "watch their purses at WalMart" and not in any other venue because that's what is posted on the Kitchen Table message board - "it only happens at WalMart".

It doesn't ONLY happen at WalMart....believe it or not!

Not saying this happens only at Walmart, I just posted about a situation that did happen there....

pekemom.agree!

Ummm...I suppose you hadn't thought about just posting your stories without mentioning the venue, but then again, I guess you wouldn't attract many responses, eh?

Same old, same old! Sometimes I guess you can't teach old dogs new tricks.