Jefferson County, Co. – Jefferson County, as well as ten other jurisdictions in the metropolitan area have experienced a rash of purses stolen from the front passenger seats of vehicles while female drivers are pumping gas.

As the victim is pumping gas and looking at the fuel pump, the male suspect drives up next to her passenger side door.  He gets out of the drivers seat of his vehicle, and opens the victim’s unlocked front passenger door. He steals the purse sitting on the front passenger seat, shuts the door and drives away undetected.

Twice the thief entered occupied cars. In one case, he reached over an at-risk adult to steal the purse. In another case, there was a child in the back seat of the car. Neither was injured.

There have been 27 reports since mid-January. Similar crimes have occurred in Thornton, Broomfield, Arvada, Wheat Ridge, Denver, Greenwood Village, Littleton, Englewood, Federal Heights and Lakewood.

The suspect is described as a Hispanic or white male, 35 to 50 years old, between 5’08” and 6’ tall, with either a beard or a moustache, and short to medium length brown hair. He has driven numerous different vehicles while committing the thefts.

Investigators are asking citizens to be aware of their surroundings while pumping gas, and if they go into the store, to please lock their cars.

Anyone with information about the crimes is urged to call the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 303-271-5612.