Thieves followed woman home from mall to steal designer purse, police say

Thieves steal $3,000 purse from car

The Suffolk County police commissioner said some thieves may have followed a woman home from a mall so they could steal the designer handbag she'd just purchased.

DEER PARK, N.Y. - A Long Island woman is hoping that surveillance video will help find those responsible for smashing her car window and then stealing a $3,000-plus designer handbag she had just purchased. The video shows a man slowly walking away from a victim's driveway carrying the purse.

Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison on Tuesday said that theft, specifically stealing from a person or car, isn't uncommon but that following someone home is more unusual.

"It looks like they may have followed her from the mall to her car and then to her residence in Deer Park," Harrison said.

Police said the incident started inside Saks Fifth Avenue at the Walt Whitman Shops last month. The victim, who still fears for her safety, asked not to be identified but told FOX 5 NY that she noticed someone inside the store was taping her. She didn't think much of it until it was too late.

"You should automatically make sure you notify someone," Harrison said. "Even if someone walks you to your vehicle to make sure you're safe is something we need to get out to residents."

The woman and her daughter drove home.

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What happened next was caught on video: The two go inside the house; moments later, a man gets out of a Honda Odyssey minivan, smashes the back window of the victim's car, snatches the purse, and hops back into the minivan before driving away.

While it's hard to know what would've happened if the woman brought the bag inside her home, police advise people to be aware.

"Know your surroundings," Harrison said. "Don't go straight to the car, walk around the mall and be sure no one is following you."

Police released images of the suspects and are asking anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS.

Another high-end heist happened last month when Nassau County Police say thieves walked out of a Louis Vuitton store in Manhasset with bags totaling more than $70,000.