REPREHENSIBLE: Blind woman's purse stolen at transit center

LACEY -- "It makes me mad that someone would do this to me -- or anybody, for that matter,” victim Tonie Collie said.

Collie was running her typical Saturday afternoon errands.

Collie, who is blind, can be seen on surveillance video, with her cane, walking in the Lacey Transit Center restroom with her purse on her back.

Then minutes later the suspect is seen walking in.

"I'd gone in to use the restroom and I sat my purse down, I won't do that anymore, and I used the restroom and I went to wash my hands and I noticed a lady that had come in. I noticed she didn't wash her hands, she just walked out the door and at first I didn't think anything of it, just OK, filthy, she didn't wash her hands,” Collie said.

But, police say the woman stole the purse and tried to conceal it under her coat as she walked away.

Collie lost all of her many medications, her change purse, cell phone and wallet with credit cards and $65.



"The fact that she did it in the first place tells me she doesn't care about anything or anybody but herself,” Collie said.

"It's not surprising. I think it was a crime of opportunity,” Lacey police Sgt. Terence Brimmer said.

Detective Brimmer spent hours looking over the surveillance video, then late Monday afternoon one of his officers recognized the suspect.

Within minutes she was arrested and police brought Collie some good news.

They were able to return her purse and her cell phone.

Officers even gave Collie a ride to the drug store to replace her medications.

"It's a good feeling. It's a good feeling knowing that you can get that victim's property back,” Brimmer said.

Police say the suspect is cooperating and helping them find the rest of Collie’s belongings.