Three individuals who were accused of robbing wallets at a supermarket in San Diego, California, have recently completed their court proceedings. The majority of the 15 victims of the robbery are elderly Asian women.
According to San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan, from January to April this year, 15 victims became targets of the criminals, with most of them being Asian women aged between 64 and 89 years old.
The district attorney’s office stated that the suspects would typically strike when the victims were loading their purchases into their cars after leaving the supermarket. They would wait for the victims to place their wallets in the car and then pull their own car next to it. One of the accomplices would get out of the car, swiftly snatch the wallet from the victim’s car seat, and then flee in the vehicle.
After successfully stealing the wallets, the suspects would often use the victims’ credit cards and pawn other items. In some cases, the stolen amount exceeded $950, as per the charging documents.
The district attorney’s office mentioned, “While the value of the stolen property may not be substantial, the emotional damage to the victims is often significant.”
Of the three accused individuals, 32-year-old Shawntece Davis faced court on June 17 at the San Diego Superior Court. The other two co-defendants, 29-year-old Kenya Frazier and 67-year-old David Anthony Foster, had their court appearances last week.
All three individuals are facing multiple charges, including stealing from elderly persons, robbery, burglary, and conspiracy to steal from elderly persons. If found guilty on all charges, the defendants could face up to 8 to 17 years in state prison.
Prosecutor Stephan stated in a release, “Those preying on elderly individuals should know that these crimes will not be tolerated, and they will face full prosecution under the law.”
The prosecutor’s office also disclosed similar but separate cases of theft happening in North County San Diego. In these incidents, the theft rings targeted elderly female shoppers. Carelessness, such as placing wallets on shopping carts, could result in the wallets being stolen when the shopper is not paying attention.
The prosecutor’s office advised the public that such criminal activities occur in every area within San Diego County, therefore, women shopping at busy malls should refrain from carrying large wallets. It is recommended not to leave wallets unattended in shopping carts or inside vehicles while focusing on other tasks.