Man allegedly steals unconscious woman's purse

Wednesday, August 08, 2012

Help offered for woman who had purse stolen ::

A man allegedly took a womans purse when she passed out in a store.

Tags:

person county, local/state

ROXBORO, N.C. (WTVD) -- Police are looking for the man who allegedly took a woman's purse after she passed out in a store. Now, one man is stepping in to help.

Roxboro investigators say 76-year-old Queen Walters was at a Walmart store Monday riding in a motorized scooter shopping cart because of her health.

Walters is a diabetic and apparently had a bad reaction to some medication she took. Surveillance video from the store shows her become disoriented before losing consciousness.

In the video, a man walks by her and then comes back, checks her out while she's passed out, and then looks around before taking her purse.

Police Chief J. Todd Boycher said Walters had $300 in her purse - which is a lot for someone on a fixed income. She also had medicine she desperately needed and her car keys.

"There's every opportunity in the world to do the right thing. There's every opportunity in the world to do the wrong thing. Think about this being your mom or your dad or your loved one and what you would do and what you should do," Boycher offered.

Chief Boycher said Walters has recovered physically from her medical episode.

Meantime, Walters is getting a helping hand from a man who saw her story.

Michael McLean says he was on the phone Wednesday evening when a friend urged him to turn on ABC11.

"Then I said, I said 'Man, this is so disappointing,' you know," said McLean.

When McLean heard Walters was preparing for a shoulder surgery Thursday and was out $300, he knew he had to do something.

"Everybody has a ministry, as an individual, and my ministry as God's purpose is to serve others and that's what I want to do," said McLean.

So, the recently-retired Knightdale father of four called the Roxboro police chief to get in touch with Walters and give her the $300.

McLean is also hoping to encourage the thief to turn his life around.

"I would tell him look himself in the mirror and look at his self," said McLean. "Somebody could have did that to his mother, his sister, his aunt or even his daughter."

If you recognize the man in the video, please call Roxboro police at (336) 599-8345 or Person County Crime Stoppers at (336) 330-0923.