It seems innocent at first, two women ask for help from an unsuspecting shopper. But just as she stops looking, in comes the last thing the elderly shopper expected. Her wallet is taken out of her bag right behind her back.
"It's pathetic," said Detective Jamal Hockaday with Sherwood Police. "A lot of these elderly folks are on a fixed income and they're going to take advantage of their kindness."
Sherwood police believe there is a group of at least four women targeting the elderly at Walmart stores throughout Central Arkansas.
"There are predators out there," said Det. Hockaday. "They're going to prey on the elderly because the elderly is a guarantee that they have funds in their account."
"It makes you feel vulnerable," said shopper DeeDee Autrey. "Life in general nowadays makes you feel vulnerable."
Autry admits to leaving her purse open and unattended often during shopping trips.
"You see someone you know from your neighborhood or your church or anywhere and you start talking to them and lose track of what you're supposed to be doing," she said.
On the checkout surveillance tapes, two of the women are later recorded using the stolen cards to purchase a $450 gift card. Eventually, they drive off in a charcoal suburban, leaving the innocent shopper without her credit cards, debit cards, drivers license and social security card. but she won't realize it until checkout.
"We want to get these ladies off the street so they don't prey on anybody else because that could be some body's grandmother, mother, sister, aunt or guardian that they're doing this to and it's just wrong," said Det. Hockaday.
The grey suburban was spotted at the Bryant Walmart earlier this week but that's the last lead police have.
If you have any information on this crime, call sherwood police at (501)835-1425.
