Sheriff`s Corner

Hello and welcome to this week's Sheriff's Corner. This week's corner will be a change of pace from the past several weeks focus on domestic violence. I'd like to talk to you about a current crime trend in Florida that could happen in Levy County.

Recently, in a number of cities in Florida, there has been a large increase in the theft of purses through distraction methods. The way this works is as follows: The victim leaves their purse in their shopping cart. Then they are approached by someone asking for assistance in reaching a high up item. The victim either leaves the purse in the cart or hanging loosely on their shoulder or arm. As the victim assists, a second subject opens the victims handbag and steals their wallet.

The subjects then quickly leave the store and immediately begin making credit card purchases before the victim even knows her wallet is missing. The suspects can be almost anyone in description. In fact, one arrested suspect was twenty-four years of age and pregnant.

Here are some things you can do to lessen the chance of you being victimized. Be aware of your surroundings. Don't act like an easy target. When carrying a purse, only take essentials you'll need, like a limited amount of cash and one credit card or debit card. Avoid carrying your driver's license and social security card or bank numbers together. You might even think about taking only one or two checks – not the entire checkbook. Also, never carry items that can`t be replaced. This might be an original picture of a loved one or a piece of jewelry. If you can stand it, you should use a "belly bag" or shoulder strap purse that can be worn across your chest. You should also make a list of items in your purse and put that list in a safe place. Lastly, if a person attempts to make conversation with you, please hold your purse tightly and of course, never leave your purse unattended in a shopping cart, check out area, or dressing room.

I hope everyone is having a great summer. As always, if you have a question give us a call.