Moms dropping off, picking up young children targeted, by thieves

HOUSTON – A high-end purse snatching outside a Houston area school has its victim on edge.

Christine Battle had just walked inside to drop her son off and when she returned to her car, the windows had been smashed and her $3,000 purse and the wallet inside were gone. 

“I was just devastated,” Battle said. She immediately had her husband cancel all of their credit cards and freeze their accounts but she wasn’t fast enough. 

“It was too late because they went on to cash $3,000 in checks,” Battle said. 

The woman accused of stealing the $3,000 purse from Battle was caught on a surveillance camera at a local bank, depositing and cashing two $1,500 checks from Battle’s account at an ATM. The name she used to sign those two checks belongs to an Austin woman whose identity had her identity stolen. 

“I felt so victimized. With everything that is going on, I felt completely victimized and I hated that my daughter was there. She couldn't even go to bed that night. She was just so frightened," Battle said.

This wasn’t an isolated case. 

From Harris to Ft. Bend County to San Antonio, Harris County Financial Crimes investigators say the woman caught on camera and her three male accomplices have been targeting moms at schools and daycares, casing the lots where they park their cars to drop off or pick up their kids, and striking when they see an opportunity to steal. 

“How dare you steal from me? We work hard for our money and so does everyone else. Get yourself a job and you work hard for your money and for your family,” Battle said.

 

Do you recognize this woman? From Harris County to Ft. Bend County to San Antonio- Harris County Financial Crimes...

Posted by KPRC2 Andy Cerota on Wednesday, February 27, 2019

 


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