Guilford Police were called to the Shoreline Plaza on Sept. 4 after receiving reports of a purse snatching. According to police, a Guilford resident was confronted by a male subject while returning her shopping cart and knocked down as the subject attempted to the steal her purse.

Police responded to Shoreline Plaza, 830 Boston Post Road, at 11 a.m. on Sept. 4. According to a statement for the Guilford Pollice Department (GPD), the victim was returning her shopping cart when a male exited a vehicle that had been circling the lot. The man grabbed the victim’s purse, and when the victim attempted to hang on, she was knocked down, sustaining minor injuries. The male fled the parking lot in a vehicle.

“The male and suspect vehicle drove away, but not before the victim was able to obtain a great description of the suspect and vehicle in addition to the license plate number,” according to the GPD statement.

GPD noted that the same vehicle had been reported as stolen from another town less than an hour prior to the purse theft.

The victim, who spoke with the Courier on a condition of anonymity, said the psychological impact was more significant than physical injuries sustained in the incident.

“It’s just shocking that this could happen in this community. In the aftermath, I was surprised at how I held onto this a little more mentally than I would have anticipated. When I was knocked to the ground, I received some minor scrapes, but those are really minor,” the victim said.

Guilford Chief of Police Butch Hyatt said these types of thefts are increasing in frequency all over the state and the shoreline.

“We have been seeing it in some of the bigger towns that have bigger malls,” Hyatt said. “We have also seen it increasing along the shoreline in some of the bigger towns. Hamden and Milford have seen this crime.”

Hyatt warned that incidents like the purse snatching are considered crimes of opportunity, and said residents can utilize simple strategies to “significantly reduce the risks of these types of thefts.”

“(T)his is a crime of opportunity, so they are looking for vulnerable victims. And this is also not just involved in one type of crime. They go out, steal a car from someone’s driveway, they see someone in a parking lot and steal a purse. They are a group of people who are focused and a group like this can commit a number of crimes over the course of a day.”

Hyatt added that while there have been some recent car thefts and vehicle break-ins and also vehicle thefts in town, a confrontation crime is rare for Guilford.

“Remember, these are crimes of opportunity, so residents should be aware of their surroundings, and if they see something suspicious, they should report it immediately to law enforcement,” said Hyatt. “These criminals are looking for the opportunity, and looking for someone vulnerable.”

According to Hyatt, there are simple steps residents can take to reduce their risks.

“Simply locking your car and paying attention can go a long way toward prevention,” he said, adding that GPD had posted several tips designed to deter these types of crimes to its Facebook page.

The tips include carrying only the essentials and leaving purses at home. If residents opt to carry a purse, GPD suggests using a crossbody purse and keeping a list detailing all of the valuable items within the purse, including credit card numbers, items of intrinsic or sentimental value, and anything identifiable about the bag. Air Tags or Tile devices can be placed inside the lining of a bag or wallet to provide tracking information to the police if stolen. GPD also warns against carrying items like social security cards.

“(T)hese items, combined with your ID, provide thieves with the perfect information to steal your identity,” GPD warned on its Facebook page.

Police also advised residents not to engage in struggle in the event of a purse snatching or close-contact theft.

“This could escalate the crime significantly and cause significantly higher risk or injury to the victim. You are more important that what is in your purse.”

At press time, no arrests had been made in the Sept. 4 incident.