Thief shoves cart into elderly woman, steals purse from Publix parking lot

Crime happened in broad daylight

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Posted: 11/17/2011

By: Marissa Bagg

BOCA RATON, Fla. - A thief took advantage of an elderly Boca Raton woman in one of the places she felt safest - a grocery store parking lot. It was the middle of the day, with dozens of people around. Still, she became a victim; her purse was stolen.

Kathy Faherty says she was unloading her groceries from her cart into her car when a man came up to her, shoved the cart at her and took off with her purse.

"He pushed the car that way, took my purse, it knocked me into the car. The guy was fast, he knew what he was doing," says Faherty.

Surprised and shaken, Faherty called for help. Police arrived but there was little they could do - the thief was gone. Officers say this sort of crime may pick up with more people coming into town for the winter. They warn you can't let your guard down for a second.

Faherty admits she shouldn't have put her purse down, but is upset she can't trust people outside a busy grocery store.

"You're not even safe in a parking lot at 2:30 in a shopping center, that's terrible."

Faherty estimates she lost a few hundred dollars, but she was able to cancel her credit cards before any charges were made. Although she wasn't injured, she's anxious.

"I'm a nervous wreck, he has my license. I don't want it to happen to someone else."

Police urge people to travel in twos, that often limits crimes of opportunity.