A second purse snatching incident has been reported at Carolina Premium Outlets in Smithfield.
For the second time this week the same man has reportedly grabbed a purse from a female victim and fled in an awaiting car.
The latest incident happened at 2:00pm on Thursday. A 68 year-old Four Oaks woman was loading items into her car in the parking lot of the outlet center when a man quickly approached, grabbed her purse out of a shopping cart and fled in a car.
On Tuesday, the same man is believed to have grabbed the purse of a 74 year-old Clayton woman sitting on a bench outside the Cracker Barrel.
In both cases the suspect is described as a white male in his 50’s. The suspect flees in an awaiting older model silver or gray four door passenger car, possibly a Chevy Impala or Malibu.
In Tuesday’s incident the victim lost her purse which contained money, credit cards and personal identification papers.
Smithfield Police and the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office responded to Thursday incident. Deputies located some suspicious items beside Outlet Center Drive, including a bank bag, gloves and a pillow case, however Police Captain T.S. Choe said the items were not related to the purse snatching incidents.
Law enforcement officers have increased patrols and are encouraging shoppers to be aware of their surroundings.
Anyone who has any information about the purse snatching incidents is asked to contact Smithfield Police at 919-934-2121 or the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office at 919-989-5000. Callers can remain anonymous.
