OAKHURST – A Coarsegold woman is the latest victim of theft after turning her back on her shopping cart for maybe two minutes in the pet food aisle of Raley’s.
At around 11:20 a.m. Saturday morning, the 79-year-old victim briefly turned her back on her cart while reading the ingredients of a bag of pet food. That’s all it took for someone to grab her bag and walk out with several credit cards, $400 in cash, driver’s license and personal items.
The handbag, described as a leather camera bag, was recovered Monday morning, its contents missing.
While detectives review video surveillance tape searching for the thief who stole her bag, Sheriff John Anderson reminds shoppers to never place personal belongings in a shopping cart.
“Regardless of the size of the bag, hold on to it at all times,” he says. “It can happen in a flash. Turn your back, even for a few seconds, that’s all a thief needs to grab your bag and walk out.”
BASS LAKE – Thieves ruined a family’s vacation after making off with their luggage which was stored in the bed of their pick-up on Saturday.
The family, from Orange Cove, CA, had plans to stay at the Pines Resort. Before checking into their rooms, they took their children to Falls Beach at around 2 p.m. for an afternoon swim.
Following their day of fun in the sun, they left the lake at around 5:30 p.m. and headed back to their vehicle, which was parked along Road 432. They then discovered that all their clothes and luggage, valued at nearly $500, was missing, having been stolen from the bed of their truck.
Missing property includes a black and grey suitcase with the letters “GOGO,” a pink suitcase, and a backpack with a blue and white pattern.
OAKHURST – A Covina, CA, family discovered a piece of luggage had also been stolen from the bed of their pickup Saturday night.
The family checked in at the Best Western Hotel located on Highway 41 in Oakhurst at around 7 p.m.
Before unloading all the contents of their truck, they opted for a quick swim in the pool.
By 8:30, they discovered one of their fully packed suitcases, valued at approximately $600, was missing.
The suitcase was described as large, blue in color with white polka dots.
Anyone who may have information about these thefts is urged to call either the Madera County Sheriff’s Office at 559-675-7770 or CRIME STOPPERS at 559-498-STOP.
