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Police: Brazen pickpocket caught on tape in California restaurant

Posted at 9:40 PM, Sep 30, 2014
and last updated 2014-09-30 22:58:40-04

Watch as this brazen thief steals a wallet out of an unsuspecting woman's purse in Walnut Creek, California.

The crime happened Monday around noon at Tender Greens Walnut Creek restaurant, according to police who posted the video on their Facebook page.

The video shows the suspect sitting down to the left of the victim and, at one point, she appears to see the billfold in the woman's purse (at :29).  The purse was hanging on the chair the victim was sitting in, but was behind her.

The suspect looks around the restaurant several times and then waits for two people to move from the table behind the victim.  The suspect then pretends to struggle while taking her sweater off and then dips her left side, allowing her to quickly reach in the victim's purse (at 2:24).  The victim continues to talk with the person sitting across from her, without realizing what had just happened.

After going through the billfold and taking the contents, she then quickly puts the billfold back in the woman's purse (at 3:05). Then, she gets up and walks out of the restaurant.

"After emptying the wallet and returning it to the purse, the suspect went on a $3,000 shopping spree," they said. "This is a great reminder to keep your valuables in sight at all times."

Police asked the public to share the video in the hope the woman can be identified.

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