Police warn of man stealing from women at grocery stores

October 31, 2005

FREDERICK, Md. - The Frederick County Sheriff's Office has taken two reports in recent weeks that a "well-dressed" man has approached elderly women at a Frederick grocery store and allegedly stolen items from their purses, police said in a written release.

Police said that the reported thefts are occurring at Giant Food on New Design Road in Frederick. The man is described as about 6 feet 2 inches tall, well-dressed and having a tall, muscular build, police said.

The man allegedly has distracted the women as a second person steals items, including credit cards, from their purses, police said. The credit cards then are immediately used at area businesses, according to the release.

No charges have been filed in connection with the reported thefts, police said. The investigation is continuing, according to the release.

Police warn residents in the release that - as the holiday season approaches - people may become more vulnerable to theft and other crimes. The Sheriff's Office offers the following tips to help minimize the risk of becoming a victim:

Shop during daylight hours whenever possible. Use the buddy system if you shop at night.
Don't wear expensive jewelry.
Stay alert when leaving stores.
Protect wallets and purses.
Don't carry a lot of cash.
Don't overload arms and hands with packages.
Park in well-lighted parking lots.
Use caution with strangers.
Call police immediately if believed to be the victim of a crime.
Call credit card companies immediately if a card is lost, stolen or misused.

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