NORTH FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Police in at least two North Fulton cities are looking for a pair of thieves distracting shoppers to steal their wallets.
One woman told Channel 2's Mike Petchenik she was shopping at a Kroger on Holcomb Bridge Road December 12 when a woman tapped her on the shoulder.
"They said 'I was wondering if you can help me?'" she told Petchenik, under the condition her not use her name. "I need to understand why there's so much sodium in this package."
The woman said she obliged.
"I'm the kind of person I want to be nice," she said. "I want to be helpful."
While the victim was helping the woman, surveillance video Roswell Police provided to Petchenik, shows a man wait for her to be fully distracted, then reach into her purse and remove her wallet.
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“I turned around and looked at my basket and said I didn’t leave my purse like that,” she said. “I looked in there and my wallet was gone and I went into panic mode.”
Another woman told Petchenik she was shopping at a Kroger in Johns Creek when the pair also stole from her.
"I didn't think anything of it. I looked at the packages, the sodium content, read it to her and then got another package," said the woman, who also asked for Petchenik not to use her name. "I get to the checkout and I didn't have a wallet."
In both cases, police said the suspects racked up huge credit cards bills before the victims knew their cards were even gone.
"These criminals are preying on people that are unsuspecting and willing to help others and they're taking advantage of them," said Officer Lisa Holland. "When you're shopping you do need to be aware of your surroundings. Keep your purse with you."
Both victims said they are hopeful police catch the suspects before they can strike again.
"I hope she gets six months in jail and never does this to anyone again," said the victim in the Johns Creek incident. "To ask someone for help and then to rob them is just wrong on so many levels."
Kroger sent Petchenik a statement about the incidents.
“Customer safety is one of our highest priorities at Kroger,” Kroger spokesman, Felix B. Turner, said in an e-mail. “We are in full cooperation with local authorities to provide any information as they investigate this incident.”
Cox Media Group
