Unsolved Phoenix purse theft attempt is good reminder about situational awareness

This article originally appeared Sept. 12, 2016.

It’s 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 31, 2016 — a busy time for weekend shopping at Biltmore Fashion Park at Camelback Road and 24th Street in Phoenix.

“There’s a lot of people out and about on foot,” Phoenix Police Sgt. Jamie Rothschild said. “There’s a lot of people driving in the area.”

A 61-year-old woman was in the parking lot of the shopping center when a man tried to grab her purse. He didn’t get it and he ran away. The woman wasn’t hurt.

Rothschild said all of us need a reminder about situational awareness.

“Most of the suspects we interview tell us that, typically, they’re looking first to see who the best victim would be,” he said. “Is someone too preoccupied with their cellphone? Are they not paying attention to their surroundings?”

Instead, keep your head up, look at the people around you and even say hello if you want.

Criminals tell police they’ve actually been deterred from committing a crime because the target got a good look at them.

When this attempted robbery happened, there were two men inside a white van who were stopped in the parking lot. They are not suspects. Police just want to interview them to find out if they know anything or saw anything.

Read more about the case here.

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