Rochester, N.Y. - “My life is in my purse,” said Malinda Demay, a mother and grad student who is regularly on the go 14 hours a day.
While rushing to her first day of an internship in Rochester, she left her purse on the floor of her car. She didn’t realize it was missing until the drive home.
Police said the thief who stole it acted quickly and used her credit card in three locations before tossing it away. But, his image was captured on security cameras in Greece and Webster.
At the Greece Home Depot, he was seen buying a large tool for $355. “It was stolen around 11:30 a.m. and an hour-and-a-half later, they had spent $750 out of my checking account,” Demay said.
At least four security cameras at the Webster Lowes recorded the man in tan pants, suspenders and a baseball cap in the parking lot, walking through the front door, and checking out.
At that location, he spent $300.
“This man was using a woman’s card, buying over $300 of merchandise,” Demay said. "So I want to know, what’s the cut-off point where they will actually check an ID?”
The Lowes Security video recorded the thief swiping Demay’s card. The clerk looked at the signature on the back, but never connected that the name on the card is a woman’s.
Police said the thief has likely moved on to another victim.
“It’s a very violating feeling. They have my ID, they know where I live,” Demay said.
More than the cash, she has lost irreplaceable items including memory cards filled with photos and a bracelet that was a graduation gift from her fiance.
She wants the man caught on tape to be caught by police.
Crimestoppers offers cash rewards for tips that lead to an arrest. If you can help police solve this crime, call 423-9300.
“I hope they catch him to stop him from doing this to someone else,” Demay said.
