Arnold Police are investigating two recent thefts at the Arnold Post Office, a theft from a vehicle and a purse snatching.
Authorities are seeking a Jefferson County man and woman for allegedly stealing a wallet from a car parked outside the Arnold Post Office, said Detective Lt. James Jones of the Arnold Police Department.
That incident happened Nov. 30. The next day, a man reportedly snatched a purse from a 73-year-old woman as she walked to her car outside the Post Office, the report said.
At 2:08 p.m. Nov. 30, Arnold Police got a call that a woman who had been inside the Post Office returned to her car, a 2012 Honda Civic, to find that someone had stolen a wallet from it. The car was unlocked, the report said.
The wallet contained cash and credit and debit cards. After the theft, the culprits reportedly used one of the stolen debit cards at the Shop ‘n Save store in Arnold, putting $120 on the card, according to the report.
Police used surveillance footage to identify the suspects – a 27-year-old Imperial woman and a 25-year-old Festus man. As of today (Dec. 9), the two had not been arrested, Jones said.
At about 1:30 p.m. Dec. 1, after the 73-year-old woman had been inside the Post Office, she was walking to her car, and a man approached her and grabbed for her purse as she was trying to put it on her shoulder, Jones said.
He said the woman struggled with the man, trying to prevent him from taking the purse, but he eventually got it from her and ran away, toward the nearby Wagon Wheel mobile home community. A Post Office employee who saw the incident got in a vehicle and followed the thief but he was able to get away after running into a wooded area, Jones said.
He said the man was described as white with blond hair. He looked to be between 20 to 30 years old, with a thin build. he was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with the hood up and blue jeans, Jones said.
Jones said he doesn’t know if the two incidents are related.
As of today, the purse, which contained cash, credit cards and a cell phone, altogether valued at $206, had not been recovered, Jones said.’
He said the purse snatcher had not been identified, and no arrests had been made either. Anyone with information about either theft is asked to call Arnold Police at 636-296-3204.