HUMBLE, Texas – Humble police are looking for a suspect who they say steals from women as they shop.
Investigators said the suspect was bold enough to steal one woman's wallet at a Walmart in Humble, and use the stolen credit cards in the same store while the unsuspecting victim continued to shop a few feet away.
It took just one second for Jo Clark to fall victim to the credit card thief.
Clark said on the day of the crime, she put her purse in the child seat of her cart as she shopped, and bent down to grab a can off a bottom shelf.
"I saw the feet come real close to my cart and I thought 'Oops, I better get a hold of my purse,'" said Clark. "So I reached up and just grabbed both handles and I went back down and got my can goods."
At the time, Clark thought she had avoided a potential purse snatching. It wasn't until Clark reached the check-out counter that she realized the woman walking by her in the aisle earlier had gotten exactly what she wanted.
Humble police said surveillance video showed the thief with Clark's wallet, using the stolen credit cards at the register to rack up nearly $800 worth of charges. Clark said the woman then headed to other Humble stores to charge about $1,000 more.
Detective David Scott said Clark may be one of the thieves of several other local victims.
"We have reason to believe that there are several other [similar crimes] that are linked to this same suspect," said Scott.
As for Clark, she said she is now holding on to her purse at all times when she shops.
"I'm the type that made it easy for her to do that, but not anymore," said Clark.
If you know anything about this suspect or the crime, call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.