Warning for women while dining out at Houston restaurants

HOUSTON – Harris County Financial Crimes investigators are warning women to think twice about leaving their purses on the back of their chairs while dining out at Houston-area restaurants.

Investigators say a woman and her husband were having dinner at a popular west Harris County restaurant on the Katy Freeway when an unidentified man, who was sitting at a table behind the couple, reached into the wife's unzipped purse and stole her wallet.

"She kept feeling something bumping her chair, bumping her purse. She didn't think anything of it," said Lt. J. Stauber, with the Harris Co. Sheriff's Office Financial Crimes Division.

Police say he took her credit cards and went on a $2,500 spending spree. They say he was caught on surveillance video at a nearby Walmart on Fry Rd. where authorities say he bought $1,200 worth of gift cards.

Investigators say from there he headed east on the Katy Freeway to Memorial City Mall where he allegedly spend a little more than $1,200 at Macy's on women's items including dresses.

"We suspect him in other cases as well and we really need the public to take a good look at this guy," Lt. J. Stauber said.

If you know who the man in the surveillance video is, you are asked to call the Harris County Sheriff's Office Financial Crimes Division at 713-967-5773.


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