Purse Snatcher in Mall Restroom!

[Rora]

Just got home from the mall... I was using the restroom when I saw a hand reach over the top of the door and feel around for my purse!!

I never leave my purse on the door hanger because I'm slightly paranoid that something like this would happen. I yelled "HEY!" but I was so surprised that it was all I could manage.

The hand moved on and apparently purse snatched the lady next to me! The lady started yelling for help and we heard someone run out of the bathroom.

The lady notified the police and the store but they didn't catch the person.

Again, I never hang my purse on the hook, just because it makes me nervous. But seriously, who would've thought?! I guess it's a pretty ideal place for a purse snatcher-- catch someone off guard while they're doing their business and don't even give them time to jump up, pull up their pants, and run after them.

 

[klacey1]

Just got home from the mall... I was using the restroom when I saw a hand reach over the top of the door and feel around for my purse!!

I never leave my purse on the door hanger because I'm slightly paranoid that something like this would happen. I yelled "HEY!" but I was so surprised that it was all I could manage.

The hand moved on and apparently purse snatched the lady next to me! The lady started yelling for help and we heard someone run out of the bathroom.

The lady notified the police and the store but they didn't catch the person.

Again, I never hang my purse on the hook, just because it makes me nervous. But seriously, who would've thought?! I guess it's a pretty ideal place for a purse snatcher-- catch someone off guard while they're doing their business and don't even give them time to jump up, pull up their pants, and run after them.

That's awful!!! I always hang my purse on the hook b/c I don't want to put it on the gross floor-- I NEVER thought this was a possibility!
Hopefully the crook is an idiot and tries to use one of her CC's and they catch him/her soon...

 

[wdwiala]

About 10 years ago, a friend was traveling and stopped at a gas station in TN. While she was in the stall, a women shoved the door open and grabbed her purse.

 

[PattnFmly]

I've heard of that happening around here periodically too. Also, one of my friends put hers on the back of the toilet behind her (think on the plumbing where the flush handle is) and someone had a "hook" and got hers that way. She noticed it too late (and with her drawers down of course) and that thief didn't get caught either. Awful! I've gone back to having a shoulder bag with a long strap so I can sling it across my body in situations like that. Too many thieving creeps out there!

 

[Disney Ella]

Years ago, Joan River had a police officer on her talk show who spoke about crime prevention. He mentioned a store that had taken hooks off of the stall doors because purses were being stolen, but then the thieves put their own hooks on the doors so that they could continue to score purses. It is a good way to steal a purse with little resistance.

 

[MerMom60_94]

I remember when my fathe was taking classes at BU about 30 years ago he told me they were having this problem. Geez Pattnfmly, I've never heard of the hook though! Yikes!

 

[Angelhalo]

Sometimes there are two hooks, a higher and a lower. If there is a lower hook, I hang it there because some of them are so low you'd have to have monkey arms to be able to reach over AND down far enough to grab it. Most of the time I try to hold it between my calves raised up off the floor a bit.

 

[Pamlur]

When I hang my shoulder bag over one of those hooks, I'll double-loop it. That would give me time to grab it if somebody tried that trick. I've also heard of people reaching under the wall between stalls and grabbing purses that way; I could happily think of stomping on a hand and breaking a small bone or two.

 

[PattnFmly]

Yeah, the hook thing was in a bar in Boston. They probably scored well every weekend with that plan. Girls out for a night on the town with lots of cash in hand to party with! Pick a different bar each weekend ... you could go for weeks and the police would never know which bars to watch!

 

[cepmom]

years ago I saw a show about this on Oprah...there was a detective or something talking about how thieves will do this in airports, by the time you realize whats happening, and you try to run after them,they are long gone. I haven't used a hook since. I try to just keep the bag on my shoulder.

 

[wdwiala]

Wrapping the purse around the hook is a good idea. I will have to try that.

It is a tad unbalancing to squat (can't touch the toilet) with a purse hung around your neck. I've done it and it isn't pretty....

,,,Add that to a tampon and a toddler in tow (can't get them stolen either) and it's just a typical Mommy day.

 

[Sparx]

If the stall has a big toilet paper holder, I sit my purse on that, to keep it off the floor.

 

[phred52]

oooh boy how awful to have this happen!! One more reason to love my fanny pack!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Oh great. Another thing to worry about in the restroom.

PS if a hand's coming in, I'm grabbing it - midstream or not. Pants down around ankles or not. And then they'll have a p'd off and crazy lady on their hands. Literally.

Seeing a hook would send me over the edge.

 

[NotUrsula]

A few years back there was a woman who was working the airside bathrooms at Lambert Airport in St. Louis. People started frustrating her by wrapping the strap around the hook a few times, so she went to a new tactic -- she CRAWLED across the tops of the stalls! The cops set a stake-out for her with a cop in a stall; they used a weighted suitcase to knock her down off the wall. It was big news when they caught her: you have to be pretty desperate to crawl across the open space at the top of the stall partitions; talk about something that would startle you.

 

[Imzadi]

If the stall has a big toilet paper holder, I sit my purse on that, to keep it off the floor.

They tend to be angled, and my purse keeps sliding off.

PS if a hand's coming in, I'm grabbing it - midstream or not. Pants down around ankles or not. And then they'll have a p'd off and crazy lady on their hands. Literally.

Just visualizing that scenario.

Also, one of my friends put hers on the back of the toilet behind her (think on the plumbing where the flush handle is) and someone had a "hook" and got hers that way.

I already get weirded out with those automatic flushers flushing while I am still on the toilet, like there is someone back there. I would really freak if I felt a hook accidentally tap me on the back of my shoulder.

 

[Handbag Lady]

I'm starting to see guards over the hooks now. You have to slide your bag's strap between the guard and the hook for it to hang. The bag can't be lifted up because of the guard.

My mom warned me of this type of theft so I try to wear a sling bag that just stays on me while I pee if I am out shopping.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Just visualizing that scenario.

Yeh, it definitely wouldn't be pretty.

But it's like, enough is enough with these people, you know?

 

[Costumesaremylife]

I have been known to hold my purse handle with my teeth if need be.

 

[kaytieeldr]

This is why I love my cross-body bags. Not fashionable, but secure It doesn't come off my torso in a public restroom.