Help ID fraud suspects possibly linked to Puget Sound pickpocket ring targeting women

WANTED IN EDMONDS --
Last week it was Everett Police reminding you to protect your purse when you go to lunch.

This week it's Edmonds Police echoing the same alert.

Many women will hang the strap over their chair where it just takes a moment for a pickpocket to grab their wallet.

Edmonds detectives say someone knowing this pair's names could help take down a prolific theft ring. Detectives say they went on a spending spree with a credit card from a purse that was stolen from the Panera Bread in Edmonds.

“We think they're tied into possibly a fraud ring that's working in Puget Sound,” said Edmonds Police Sgt. Shane Hawley. “When we started looking into things a little further we noticed Everett had a case with a couple of gals where they stole some stuff, actually stole the victim's wallet from a Panera Bread and then ended up using the credit cards. Well, we had a similar situation, also at our Panera Bread store where a victim had her purse stolen and then the same stores were targeted to use the credit cards. Digging in a little further we realized Bellevue had the same thing happen at a Panera Bread and we compared photos, we have the same suspect. Our suspects are going to be different from the two Everett had, but considering the MO they're operating with, we think they're probably tied together. And, digging even a little further into it, we discovered a 2017 case with our suspect all the way down in Southern California, so this guy's been a busy bee and probably working his way up the coast.



Detectives think he's white, heavy-set and in his late 30's to early 40's.

She's heavy-set with short hair.

Detectives say they used the stolen credit card at a Safeway and other stores around the area to rack-up around $9,000 in charges.

The cameras at the Safeway got great looks of them. "The quality is really, really good. Excellent quality video and we're hoping someone can get an ID on both of them,” said Sgt. Hawley. “We see the same two in various stores throughout Puget Sound using the victim's credit card, but this is the best video we have, by far, so we're hoping with the quality of the video and the pictures that we got that someone will be able to spot them and say, 'Hey! I know who that is!"

If you know their names, use the P3 Tips App to submit the information anonymously to Crime Stoppers, or call the hot line at 1-800-222-TIPS(8477).