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Church preschool teacher chases down wallet thief, gets wallet back

Posted at 2:38 PM, Jan 17, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-17 14:38:37-05

INDIANAPOLIS -- A man looking for aid from a north side church instead snatched a wallet Tuesday morning – only to have the wallet's owner chase him down and demand it back.

Chris Lantz, parish administrator for the Cross & Crown Lutheran Church on east 79th Street, said the man had visited the church in December asking for aid, and was given a gas card.

He returned Tuesday morning just before 10 a.m., again requesting aid.

While church employees were locating the pastor to talk to him, the man allegedly saw a purse belonging to one of the church's teachers unguarded.

According to Lantz, the man snatched the wallet out of the purse and then said he "needed to check on his ride."

"We don't really think he came in with that intention, but he saw an opportunity," Lantz said.

The teacher, who asked not to be named, chased the man outside and knocked on the window of his car, demanding that he give her wallet back.

The man denied having the wallet at first, but then pulled it out of his pants leg before speeding off.

According to Lantz, nothing was stolen from the wallet.

Police visited the address registered to the license plate on the car, but could not locate the suspect vehicle.