driver

Opportunistic Thieves Steal From Unattended Purses, Go on Shopping Spree

The search is on for two women accused of stealing from several purses in an office in Deerfield Beach and going on a shopping spree.

It happened May 7 while employees were in a meeting at O2 Media which is located at 2001 W. Sample Road. And the victims say they feel violated.

"Fear, panic, a sense of immediate urgency," said Jessica Steinweg. "It's almost like a terrorist attack in a way, it's an invasion is what it is."

Surveillance video shows the two female subjects step off the elevator and look around for a bit. Someone even passes them in the hall suspecting nothing.

They walked down the hall like they were supposed to be there. A meeting was going on in a room and just a few feet away they went into another office, into desks and went straight for the purses.

"How did they get in and out, it must be an operation that's slick and that's creepy and scary," said  victim, Pam Steele-Unger.

And investigators say the woman wasted no time cashing in. They made their way to the Town Center Mall in Boca Raton and went on quite the shopping spree.

"They went in there to specifically take a credit card and ID something that you may not notice right away, and in this case they made it to the mall and started shopping before the victims knew their property had been stolen," said Gina Carter of the Broward Sheriff's Office.

A short time later cameras at the mall caught one of the thieves racking up thousands of dollars in charges at the Apple store and Macy's.

Then they had lunch on Pam's dime. And with her license missing, the theft almost ruined a surprise weekend trip.

"I was supposed to fly out the next morning to Buffalo to surprise my mom for Mother's Day and her 80th Birthday party and I had to get on the plane," Steele-Unger said.

She did end up making the trip, now she only hopes that the women are caught.

Meantime, she and others are now locking their purses up with a key at work.

If you have any idea who they are call Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.

Contact Us