Woman Steals From Purses Left in Shopping Carts

The Utica police are looking for a woman who stole cash, credit cards and IDs from two women's purses at in Utica Friday.

A woman shopping at the Salvation Army told police that another female shopper approached her around 1:30 p.m. and told her that a woman had just gone through her purse as it was left under a pile of clothes in a shopping cart.

The alleged thief made a purchase at the store and exited quickly into a tan SUV, witnesses said.

Meanwhile, as the victim reported that contents from her purse such as cash, checkbook and credit cards had been stolen to store management, another female shopper noticed that she too was missing cash, credit cards, her ID and medicare card from her purse.

The thief is described as black, 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighing about 140 pounds and has curly black hair. She was wearing a yellow and orange sunflower dress.

There is no surveillance video from the store.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Utica Police Department at 586-731-2345.