JAMES CITY COUNTY — Authorities are asking for the public’s help to identify a “person of interest,” who allegedly stole another person’s purse at a store in Settlers Markets.
On Wednesday, April 21, James City County Police Department (JCCPD) released a statement, announcing that the department would like to speak with this “person of interest,” who was at the store at the same time as the victim and “appears to leave the store while concealing something under the front of her shirt.”
“On March 20 between 9:15 a.m. and 11 a.m., an unknown person(s) stole the wallet from a victim’s purse while she was shopping at various stores in Settler’s Market,” according to the department’s statement. “Between 11:04 and 11:13 a.m. that same morning, her credit card was used to purchase gift cards at the Harris Teeter at Quarterpath Crossing for more than $1,500.”
Stephanie Williams, spokesperson for JCC PD, said that the victim had shopped at Home Goods and Michaels, located in Settlers Market, 4645 Casey Blvd. in Williamsburg.
Williams noted that the suspect purchased three pre-paid Mastercard gifts cards, cinnamon rolls, “some peanuts,” and a magazine in two separate transactions that cost $518.26 and $1,015.78. A third transaction was voided, Williams added.
“The first one was a Mastercard prepaid gift card for $500, which also has a $5.95 activation fee, cinnamon rolls and a magazine,” Williams said.
Williams added that the second transaction was for “two Mastercard gift cards for $500,” with the prepaid activation fee of $5.95 and “some peanuts.”
The suspect is described as “a white female with blonde hair” who was wearing a short sleeved gray t-shirt, blue jeans, white tennis shoes with sunglasses hanging on the front of her shirt. She was not carrying a purse, Williams added.
“Although she entered the store alone, she immediately entered the back of the store with a tall white man,” Williams noted.
JCC PD described the man as wearing a “gaiter type mask, dark brown colored hair with slight gray and in tan jacket, blue jeans and white tennis shoes.”
Both persons entered and left the store separately, “but they were together in the store,” Williams added.
“We don’t know that he is connected to any of this, not that we know she is either, but we just want to talk to her because she was in the store,” Williams said.
The department is asking for the public’s help identifying the “person of interest” because the investigation required looking through “security footage at various stores,” each store having “different procedures for obtaining footage,” Williams added.
Anyone who knows the identity of this person, is asked to contact Investigator Swanson at 757-259-5165 or kathy.swanson@jamescitycountyva.gov or the Peninsula Crime Line at 1-888-562-5887. You can also submit tips online anonymously here.
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