A woman believes she was pick pocketed at the Walmart in West Point on Tuesday.
Theresa Jolly had just made a trip to the bank and was in Walmart at about 12:30 pm when a woman took $89 out of her purse, she said. Jolly was on the greeting card aisle when the woman approached her and asked her about the price of a card. Jolly, who described the alleged culprit as tall, with short hair and glasses, asked her about the price of four cards. The woman dismissed the cards as too expensive while leaning over Jolly’s purse in her shopping basket.
Jolly did not realize she was missing her cash until she paid for her items a few minutes later. Initially, she assumed she had left it in her car. She searched her car after she returned home and decided she had been pick pocketed.
Jolly reported the incident to the West Point Police Department and to Walmart.
A pick pocket is a thief who steals items, usually from a purse or pocket, in such a subtle way that the victim is unaware of the theft. Thieves do this by distracting their target, drawing the target’s attention away from the theft, according to a BBC article last summer. In this case, Jolly was distracted checking the price of cards.
Though still fairly prevalent in Europe, pick pocketing is becoming less common in the U.S. A Google search for pick pocketing shows not only articles about the thieves and the best ways to protect yourself against them, but YouTube videos showing different pick pocketing techniques.
But it is a crime. And while many thieves this day in age have turned to more high-tech brands of theft like credit card fraud and identity theft, there are still people who will snatch a wallet or a cell phone right beside you.
Jolly made this point herself in an interview with The Dispatch. She said to be aware of the people around you in public areas. Even if it just seems like someone needs help, that person may be trying to trick you.
“People like that are going to be out there and they’re going to prey on folks,” she said.
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