Search on for 2 women who stole wallet from grocery store shopper, police say

Police: Women used distraction to steal shopper's wallet

DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, Fla. – The search is on for two women who targeted a shopper at a grocery store, using a distraction to steal her wallet, police said.

Daytona Beach Shores police said the suspects stole the victim's wallet and went straight to a Publix less than 2 miles away. Inside, they purchased $800 in gift cards.

"Finished my shopping, went to pay for it and I didn't have a wallet," Marcia Dutton said.

Dutton got the news no one wants earlier this month while trying to check out at the Winn-Dixie in Daytona Beach Shores. She couldn't pay for her groceries because police said crooks were busy using her credits cards to go on their own shopping spree.

"By the time I walked out of the store, got in my car, pulled out my phone, there were two alerts already," Dutton said.

She said the first alert was for $827 charged at the Publix and the second from her bank telling her that her account balance was now on zero.

Dutton's credit cards were used several times from Ormond Beach to Port Orange. She said she didn't see it coming.

"I was in the produce section and an older lady approached me and asked me to help her. She needed some advice for her diet. She wasn't suppose to have certain things," she said.

She said her purse was closed and sitting in the cart, that they talked for several minutes and went their separate ways.

"They appeared to be an elderly woman with her aide and they were shopping. It was a little old lady act. She did it very, very well," Dutton said.

Police already arrested Carlos Garcia, but are looking for Margaret Cleary and a woman who was seen with her.

Dutton said now she'll be holding her purse under her arm.

"You don't have to stand out. You don't have to be special. They know what they're looking for, so you have to protect yourself," she said.


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