Pickpockets strike twice
Columbia Police believe two men are have stolen wallets from people at area hospitals including University Hospital.
Published April 28, 2006
Columbia Police Department officers believe the same two men were perpetrators of four pickpocketing incidents at area hospitals since July 2005, police spokesman Brad Nelson said.
The most recent incidents occurred April 20. Two others occurred in January and July.
According to a news release, two women's wallets were taken from people at Keene Medical Plaza and University Hospital on April 20.
Nelson said the suspects' main concern when using the credit cards they stole was to use them as soon as possible.
"We haven't been releasing that," he said, "But they're generally used at Wal-Marts, Targets, and places like that. Places they think they can use them the quickest."
All four victims were females between 62 and 78 years old, according to the release. The release stated that the suspects are males in their mid-30s and mid-40s. The suspects drive a red Dodge Caravan.
According to the release, the suspects generally rob the victims as they exit an elevator.
"Their normal route was for one of them to be in front of the victim and the other in back," Nelson said. "As they exit the elevator, the one in front acts like he caught his foot in the door or tripped." While the woman went to help him, the suspect in back would lift the wallet out of her purse."
