Pattern of Purse Thefts from Grocery Shoppers

Feb. 10 

11:45 a.m. – St. Raphael’s Church reported a stone relic was taken from the center of the altar in the chapel in the Mission between 2/8 and 2/9. The value was listed at $5000.

10:23 a.m. – An online report was made of three vehicles vandalized on Trost Road.  All of the vehicles were keyed and writing was scratched onto the hoods and roofs.

10:55 a.m. – An online report of a burglary on Knight Drive where the side door window into the garage was broken and a bike valued at $1000 was taken.

2:00 p.m. – A citizen reported that an 82-year-old patient was missing his iPad upon check out at a care facility.  The iPad, valued at $500, was hidden under the patient's socks and boxers in the top drawer of his closet.  The patient was advised by the care facility that he will be reimbursed for the loss.

Feb. 11 

9:11 a.m. – A citizen reported four cars that were parked on the street on Los Gamos Road had their passenger-side mirrors bashed off.

7:04 p.m. – A car window was smashed and a purse was taken from the vehicle while a woman was walking her dog near 300 Smith Ranch Road.  One of her credit cards was used and denied at Macy’s in Richmond a short time afterwards.  Pinole police subsequently arrested a subject in possession of some of the stolen property.

Feb. 12 

1:49 p.m. – A vehicle parked on Glen Park Avenue was reported broken into and $150 of emergency cash kept in the glove compartment was stolen.

5:21 p.m. – A woman was arrested on suspicion of burglary and resisting a peace officer resulting in great bodily injury to the officer, after she fled the scene of a 7-11 store on B Street.  While in pursuit the officer fell and tore his hamstring.  The woman was later located and identified and booked into the Marin County Jail.

5:51 p.m. – Two vehicles were reported broken into on Sterling Way. One of the vehicles was unlocked and contained checks for a business in the glove compartment. Mail from a nearby residence was also taken.

10:36 p.m. – A 47-year-old woman and a 29-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of prowling on private property, conspiracy to commit a crime, and possessing burglary tools at the Marin Resource Recovery Center on Jacoby Street.

Feb. 13

10:38 a.m. – A customer at the McDonald’s on Fourth Street was caught on surveillance video removing a black and white clock from the wall.  It is valued at $20.

12:51 p.m. – A woman reported her black purse stolen from her shopping cart at Whole Foods on Third Street. The value of the items taken was approximately $700.

5:27 p.m. – Someone broken into a residence on Wakerobin Lane by prying open a crank-style window in a rear bedroom.  The suspect stole jewelry, cash and a violin.

Feb. 14

9:32 a.m. – A car was broken into on Jordan Street and the suspect(s) made off with a camera, tools, prescription medication and a case with approximately 200 CD’s in it.

12:21 p.m – Power tools valued at $2000 were stolen from a vehicle on Octavia Street. The suspect(s) entered all of the unlocked side storage bins on the vehicle and removed the tools.

6:12 p.m. – A resident on Golden Hinde Boulevard had her home broken into between the hours of 12:30 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. and approximately $6,443 dollars in items were stolen.  The suspect(s) appeared to use body force to open the door.

Feb. 15

2:57 p.m. – While shopping at Whole Foods Grocery Store on Third Street a woman’s purse was stolen from her shopping cart. A suspect was caught on video and is described a Hispanic man, approximately 20-26 years of age, with a mustache.  He was reported wearing blue jeans, a brown plaid jacket and a yellow skull cap.

3:35 p.m. – A woman reported her purse stolen at a Trader Joe’s grocery store while she was looking at flowers for purchase. There were no witnesses. The woman later reported that her credit card was used at a Texaco station in Petaluma for $108 dollars.

Feb. 16

1:18 p.m. – A man was witnessed in the process of stealing two white metal soccer goals posts from Davidson Middle School.  The suspect fled on a bicycle but was later located and positively identified and arrested on suspicion of petty theft.

10:26 p.m. – The large middle window of a Toyota Sienna van was smashed shortly after the owner checked into the Embassy Suites hotel. A student's backpack with textbooks and an iPod were the only items reported missing.  The backpack was later found on the side of the road near Hamilton Elementary School in Novato.

Feb. 19

11:37 a.m. - A man placed his jacket on a stool at a Goodwill store on Lincoln while trying on jackets for sale.  When he went to retrieve his own jacket, it was gone. Security video shows the suspect pick up the jacket and walk off.  The man does not want to press charges but wants his jacket back.