An 82-year-old woman is warning people to watch out for their belongings when shopping, especially this holiday season.
Herberdean Bennett had her purse stolen by three men who were caught on surveillance camera two weeks ago. She had just purchased her items, some for Thanksgiving, at the Kroger on Clarksville Pike in Bordeaux.
However, she left her purse in the shopping cart when she visited the service desk. She only realized her purse was missing when she returned home.
"I would have gone up to them and said, 'no, no, no, no, this is not yours this is mine.'" Bennett said. "You are invading their privacy because your life is in your purse."
Metro police said the three suspects used her credit card at countless stores. Bennett's family said they not only used the card but her checkbook it in at least seven stores and bought more than $2,000 worth of items.
"It's just not ok to take advantage of someone who is elderly like this, and we want people to know the story. The more they were able to spend the more comfortable they got, just disregarding my mother and how hard she works," Herberdean's daughter, Anita Bennett Corder, added.
Herberdean does not consider herself old but understands how people her age can easily become victims. She wants her experience to be a learning lesson for other people.
"You're not looking around and not paying attention to your shopping cart and it's easy for someone to come along and just take it. So mine will be right here [chest] next to me and they'll have to knock me down to take it," she said.
As of Wednesday, police were still searching for the culprits. If your recognize them, call Metro Crime Stoppers at 615-74-CRIME.
