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Purses Snatched From Elderly Escambia Women; One Suspect Named
December 22, 2011
Purses were snatched from two elderly Escambia County women in separate incidents, including one in Cantonment.
Cantonment Purse Snatching
An elderly Cantonment woman had her purse snatched as she returned home recently, and sheriff’s investigators are searching for a van believed to be involved in the crime.
The 76 year old woman was returning home from shopping when she was approached by a white male asking if she needed help. The victim said that the suspect then forcibly took her purse from her and fled in a white minivan.
Deputies recovered the victim’s purse from a dumpster behind a Shell gas station at 7955 North Davis Highway after receiving a report of a while male throwing away a purse. He was described as being between 40-50 years old, full white beard and a mustache, 5-foot 6-inches tall with a medium build.
Anyone with information on the suspect or the van pictured above is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
85-Year Old’s Purse Snatched
Sheriff’s investigators are investigating a robbery of an elderly woman in the Myrtle Grove area.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said an 85-year old woman was waiting outside of her home on 69th Avenue for her daughter to pick her up when a small dark-colored vehicle pulled up beside her. The victim told deputies that she was then pushed to the ground by the suspect as he took her purse.
Investigators have identified one suspect as Marqual Lee. He is wanted for robbery, battery on a person 65-years of age or older, grand theft and three counts of illegal use of credit cards. He was identified by the Sheriff’s Office through tips received from media coverage.
The victim called her credit union and was advised that her debit card was used shortly after the robbery at a Tom Thumb in the 32506 zip code of West Pensacola. Shortly after that, her debit card was used at Footlocker in Cordova Mall by the suspects. The suspects also visited another store in the mall where they were caught on camera.
The elderly victim suffered minor injuries, but did not require any immediate medical attention.
Anyone with information on crime or the identity of the men in the photo below is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Comments
23 Responses to “Purses Snatched From Elderly Escambia Women; One Suspect Named”
I’d like to slap that smile off of his sweet little face and turn his backside into a paddle ground. That’s what he needs !
I find it interesting that he would be in the frame of mind to smile during a trip to jail, he should be crying, unless he has accomplished something he’s proud of. Maybe a gang related something.
I work in fraud investigations and know of several elderly females that have been victimized over the last month. Please advise every older person in your family to be on the lookout for thieves! There are several scams going around this month – one is that thieves will follow an elderly lady home from a store and then rob her when she exits her vehicle / another is a pair working together where one will ask an elderly lady for advise on an item such as a gift for a wife & while she is distracted, another person will steal her purse from the shopping cart / another scam is that an elderly person will get a phone call from a distraught grandchild requesting money to be wired immediately because they are in some sort of trouble & can’t ask their parents for the money so the grandparent wires the funds only to find out later that they were scammed. Thieves use social websites to find out everything they need to know before making the call to grandma!!! It’s sad to think that this is what our world has come to!
Hope this dear lady is ok. I wish she’d shot him. World is better off without this useless piece of crap!
Is this the picture of the guy with the hat on?
My wallet was stollen years ago while I was in training at the Law Enforcement Academy. The thieves maxed my Sears card out buying stereo equipment and made purchases on a Visa card. During the investigation, I saw the signature on the receipt from Sears. It looked like a 5 year old signed it. I have a very distinct AND legible signature. The clerk never even looked at the back of the card. Both companies credited the fraudulent charges.
It’s ashame cashiers and clerks will not ask for IDs when accepting plastic. There are a few stores I frequent that always ask for ID. I tend to patronize them more than others. Since my plastic accounts are all now flagged, any unusual purchases (type and amount) have to be approved by me with a code. It’s a hassle sometimes, but at least I know it works.
The thief looks so happy in the photo. To bad the daughter didn’t get there as it happen and run over this bad boy. But on the other hand his family would have sued and the daughter would have had to pay for him. Sort of like the young fellow in Brownsville who was run over by a LEO while trying to flee. To hear some member of the community tell it he lived at the foot of the cross. The reason for his being in a construction area late at night was to be sure there had been no dangerous tools or equipment been left out. Let a thief get hurt and the ambulance chasers come out of the wood work. They never say no on a case where there is a fee for them. They know that insurance companies cut their cost and pay a settlement—it’s cheaper for them than taking a chance with some of the juries. Don’t we have a wonderful legal system?
The other part of this scam is leaving the tags on their hats after they puchase and wear them. Be aware of people wearing their hats like this. It is classic criminal behavior.
I laughed when I read that Char prefers dogs to people most of the time. How true! Critters are usually honest in their dealings. ~~BEWARE of the slick trick of a sales person handing your credit or debit card back underneath the sales receipt. I received mine and stuck it in my pocket without looking at it. When I took it out later, I had someone else’s card. When I returned it to the store and tried to get mine, neither my card nor the sales person were to be found. I immediately cancelled my card and found out later 4 attempts were made to make purchases with my card. LOOK at what you are handed back from a cashier!!!
@ Char –Amen
I agree that these thugs belong in jail, but with the state of our jails and Judicial system, they will probably just get a slap on the wrist and be back on the streets within an hour or two of their arrest…that is if they are ever caughit.
im not so sure that this is video from FOOTLOCKER….the article states that they went to another store in the mall after leaving FOOTLOCKER- and, that other unmentioned store is where they were picked up on video.
Well at least Footlocker has a good security camera. Nice pic! He should be easy to recognize.
It happens all the time, nasty crooks trying to prey on the elderly.I was at the grocery store with my husband and had an over flowing cart. There were 5 lanes open, and a woman that I kept seeing in the isles was right behind us at check out. She had one item and had walked all over the store behind us. Who gets into a line for a quick trip to the store when the person in front of you has a cart
full and has already been started to be check out. You can’t help by letting her go in front of you either. I looked down the lanes and one was express with one person in it with 2 items.
Also sometimes they work in pairs, a woman follows you through the store then a man gets behind you in line. You notice nothing unless your very observant.
Don’t let people follow you anywhere when your old, change lines, change isles, change lanes on the highway, if any little thing doesn’t pass the smell test.
BE AWARE, THEY ARE LOOKING FOR THEIR VICTIMS but their not that slick if you pay attention. Take your credit card (or wallet) out of your purse and carry it in your pocket. If they get your purse well they can’t charge on your accounts,
I prefer Dogs to People most of the time…..
I’m with jcellops!
The clerk at Footlocker should have been aware.
I think Footlocker should be held accountable
for their willful negligence !!!!
What a complete idiot…..That’s all I can say….
Unfortunately, the legislation has gotten so involved in the debit card industry that the merchant is no longer liable for fraudulently used debit cards. The financial institution has to help the customer get their money or in most cases gives it to them and takes the loss. This business will not take any loss even though the card said Minnie Mouse and Donald Duck used it. I hope these two jerks are found and get a lot of jail time and have to pay restitution for their dirty deeds. I hope the elderly lady is o.k. and has a Merry Christmas despite these two thugs ugly actions.
Cowards!!
It’s pathetic when these cowardly thugs prey on elderly people.
I see footlocker still doesnt check ids when u use a debit or credit card none of the stores do you can have anybody’s card…these guys should be ashame of themselves!!!
Tis the season to steal from people. Neighborhood watch groups….be on the lookout for your neighbors! Be careful in parking lots and gas stations!
Hope they catch these creeps soon! Stealing from people when they least expect it is what the bad guys do!
I hope they are caught especially with this crystal clear shot of him!!!!!
I hope these creeps are caught and rot in jail. stealing elderly womens purses and even pushing one down? Wow! Whats this world becoming? Makes me sick!
seems like the folks at the FOOTLOCKER should have noticed that a MAN was purchasing items using a debit card with a WOMANS name on it…hhhmm….that thief in the back seems to like ball caps…like that green and orange one hes holding on to…{{creeps}}….glad the 85 yr old didnt break her hip…
I hope mthey all spend Christmas in jail…and then some…dirtbags!