Delray Beach police are working to determine if three robberies in the last week are in any way linked to the nine similar attacks in Publix parking lots in other cities.
Detectives the same group is committing the robberies in Delray Beach and targeting anyone who looks vulnerable or distracted.
Kari Budyk has been watching the news and now she's watching her back.
"You just always have to be on the lookout and not looking at your phone or being distracted by other things because that's when people I think take the most advantage of you," said Budyk.
On Tuesday, a woman was grabbed from behind, her hair pulled and face punched at a gas station off West Atlantic Avenue. The thieves took off with her cell phone. A few days before that, a woman's purse was snatched from her arm while she walking to her car from a nightclub on Southeast 2nd Street. On January 17th, a 75-year-old woman's wrist wallet was yanked from her while she was loading her bags in her car after shopping at the Walmart on Military Trial. Detectives believe each local crime is connected.
"While it may not be the same suspect in each case, it's reasonable to assume that they are connected in some what even if they are part of a loosely organized group," said Dani Moschella, Public Information Officer for the Delray Beach Police Department.
Detectives are also looking into the possibility that the thieves may also be linked to robberies and attacks reported in Broward County and Boca Raton in the last week.
"Our detectives are actively investigating them [incidents] and are talking to detectives from other agencies to see if there is any link between the robberies here in Delray Beach and the robberies elsewhere," said Moschella,
Budyk says she's staying vigilant.
"Some times you don't always have to look threatening to be a criminal or to hurt somebody or harm somebody," added Budyk.
Anyone with information on any of the robberies should call Crimes Stoppers.
