VIDEO: Suspect snatches woman’s wallet from purse at OC Costco

IRVINE, Calif. - Officers with the Irvine Police Department were able to catch and arrest a suspect shortly after he was accused of snatching a woman’s wallet from inside her purse at a Costco store in Irvine.

The alleged theft and apprehension of the suspect were caught on camera. The department posted the video on social media using the hashtag #dontcommitcrimeinirvine. 

They explained that while a patrolling officer was at the Irvine Spectrum Center, he was notified that a woman had her wallet stolen from her purse at the wholesale store. Surveillance footage showed a woman had left her purse inside a shopping cart and was looking at an item in one of the aisles. While her back was turned, the perpetrator went inside her purse and took her wallet before walking away. 

Once the victim noticed her wallet had been stolen, she filed a police report. 

(Irvine PD)

Investigators encouraged her to keep track of her credit card activity and moments later, she noticed her card had been used at a nearby Nordstrom. 

"The officer located the suspect carrying bags of his ‘ill-gotten gains’ and after a short discussion, the suspect dropped his bags and ran away," Irvine PD wrote. 

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After a short foot pursuit, the suspect was arrested and taken to jail. 

"Another win for the good guys," the department wrote.