Police investigate wave of purse-snatching incidents near Gig Harbor grocery stores
Three women in their 70s and older had their purses snatched in the same week in Gig Harbor this month.
The incidents happened on Dec. 9 at 8:30 p.m., Dec. 11 at 4:18 p.m. and Dec. 12 at 2:45 p.m., Gig Harbor Police Chief Kelly Busey told The News Tribune. All three happened in different grocery store parking lots to women ranging from 73 to 80 years old.
Each incident had at least two suspects, but police don’t know yet if they were the same in all three, according to Busey.
In the Dec. 9 incident, two people on foot snatched the victim’s purse, he said. On Dec. 11, someone jumped out of a car driven by another person to commit the crime. Something similar happened on Dec. 12, and police confirmed that the vehicle the suspects used on Dec. 12 was stolen.
That vehicle hasn’t been recovered yet, as of Busey’s phone call with The News Tribune at around 2 p.m. Dec. 18.
In two of the incidents, the women were loading groceries into their cars and left their purses in their carts.
“When they turned around, somebody was trying to grab the purse in the cart,” Busey said.
A Gig Harbor Police Department Facebook post said that one of the women targeted “suffered significant injuries to her face when she fell to the ground during the skirmish.”
The department went on to advise residents to keep an eye on their personal belongings.
“We urge everyone to keep their personal possessions close and to not leave valuables unattended in carts or open vehicle trunks,” the post said. “Be aware of your surroundings and people or vehicles that may approach you in public places. Prioritize your personal safety over that of your possessions.”
Busey said these types of incidents aren’t common in Gig Harbor, but he’s seen them in waves that come and go.
“Hopefully it’s limited to those three instances, and we’re going to pursue these as hard as any other case,” he said.
Asked for updates on the investigation, Busey said police have “some good leads” they’re following.
At around 4 p.m. Dec. 18, the Gig Harbor Police Department posted photos of two suspects using one of the victim’s credit cards after stealing her purse. The department is asking anyone who knows them or has additional information to contact the detective working on the case at 253-851-2236.
This story was originally published December 19, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
