A serial robber has been arrested after stealing multiple purses from shoppers at grocery stores and stealing money from Girl Scouts who were selling cookies.
Now police are warning that you need to make sure you keep a close eye on your purse to avoid getting robbed.
If you walk through a grocery store and look at how many people leave their purses in their carts, you'd be amazed. For many robbers, it's like taking candy from a baby.
All they have to do is walk by, grab the purse, and walk out of the store. Now police are giving tips on how to protect your belongings.
Police arrested 31-year-old Jevon Avis on Tuesday for multiple robberies across Southern Pennsylvania.
The first robbery took place on January 20 in Chester County when police say Avis walked up to Girl Scouts selling cookies, stole donation money meant for U.S. troops and then also took money made from cookie sales.
Over the next month and a half, police say Avis stole multiple purses from people shopping at grocery stores.
While police say this crime spree is over, people still need to make sure their belongings are safe.
Think about it, when you're shopping, many people leave their purses in grocery carts while looking at nearby items, and that gives robbers all the opportunity they need.
"Sometimes they'll leave the purse itself open, and many times a wallet or something like that is clearly visible," explained Upper Allen Township Police Detective Sgt. Tom Kauffman.
At that point, it's as easy as reaching in, and walking out.
"They just walk by, see that, take it, put it under their arm and keep right on going," Sgt. Tom Kauffman.
The best way to avoid having your purse or something from your purse stolen is to always keep your purse on you, under your arm. But there are steps you can take if you don't always carry your purse to keep it safe.
"The best thing to do if you're not going to have your purse on you, under your arm where it can't be accessed, make sure you have it, if you're going to leave it in your cart, keep your cart in front of you or right with you at any shelves you might be looking at,” Kauffman commented. “Don't leave it behind in an aisle so someone else can have access to it when you're not with it."
Other than grocery store thefts, police say the most common theft of purses come out of cars, so if you leave your purse in your car, try to hide it, and make sure your car is locked.
Now police are warning that you need to make sure you keep a close eye on your purse to avoid getting robbed.
If you walk through a grocery store and look at how many people leave their purses in their carts, you'd be amazed. For many robbers, it's like taking candy from a baby.
All they have to do is walk by, grab the purse, and walk out of the store. Now police are giving tips on how to protect your belongings.
Police arrested 31-year-old Jevon Avis on Tuesday for multiple robberies across Southern Pennsylvania.
The first robbery took place on January 20 in Chester County when police say Avis walked up to Girl Scouts selling cookies, stole donation money meant for U.S. troops and then also took money made from cookie sales.
Over the next month and a half, police say Avis stole multiple purses from people shopping at grocery stores.
While police say this crime spree is over, people still need to make sure their belongings are safe.
Think about it, when you're shopping, many people leave their purses in grocery carts while looking at nearby items, and that gives robbers all the opportunity they need.
"Sometimes they'll leave the purse itself open, and many times a wallet or something like that is clearly visible," explained Upper Allen Township Police Detective Sgt. Tom Kauffman.
At that point, it's as easy as reaching in, and walking out.
"They just walk by, see that, take it, put it under their arm and keep right on going," Sgt. Tom Kauffman.
The best way to avoid having your purse or something from your purse stolen is to always keep your purse on you, under your arm. But there are steps you can take if you don't always carry your purse to keep it safe.
"The best thing to do if you're not going to have your purse on you, under your arm where it can't be accessed, make sure you have it, if you're going to leave it in your cart, keep your cart in front of you or right with you at any shelves you might be looking at,” Kauffman commented. “Don't leave it behind in an aisle so someone else can have access to it when you're not with it."
Other than grocery store thefts, police say the most common theft of purses come out of cars, so if you leave your purse in your car, try to hide it, and make sure your car is locked.