The Texarkana Police Department is seeking assistance from the public to identify suspects involved in a theft scheme at the Walmart Neighborhood Market on Summerhill Road that occurred on October 5th.
According to the information provided by the police department, the suspects worked together to execute a "distract and swipe" scheme targeting elderly victims while shopping. One or two individuals would approach their victims in the grocery store aisles, engaging them with a series of questions related to a potential purchase. Meanwhile, another suspect would discreetly access the victim's purse left unattended in the shopping cart and remove their wallet. Additional individuals acted as lookouts at the ends of the aisle to alert their partners to any approaching witnesses.
Within minutes, the stolen debit cards were used to purchase $2,500 worth of gift cards from two other nearby stores. The victim only became aware of the theft after receiving a call from her bank regarding suspicious transactions and promptly contacted 911.
Detective Jarrod Dean, who is leading the investigation, reviewed surveillance footage from inside the store, confirming that the suspects had successfully executed their "distract and swipe" technique. Shockingly, Detective Dean also discovered that the group had targeted at least one other elderly female customer before the incident they are currently investigating. Unfortunately, the earlier victim did not report the incident, raising concerns that the suspects may have victimized her without her knowledge.
The Texarkana Police Department is urging the public to be cautious and avoid leaving purses or wallets unattended in shopping carts. Though it may be convenient, this case underscores how quickly criminals can take advantage of a momentary distraction to pilfer personal belongings.
If you know who they are or remember having any interaction with them at the Summerhill Neighborhood Market a couple weeks ago, please reach out to Detective Dean. You can call him at 903-798-3116.
