A woman’s missing purse was recovered and a suspect was arrested after real-time bank alerts pointed a Puyallup police officer to a nearby store where fraudulent purchases were underway, according to the Puyallup Police Department.
Police said the incident unfolded on Dec. 1 while Officer Miller was responding to an unrelated call.
She was flagged down by a woman who had just noticed her purse was gone and was already receiving alerts from her bank about attempted transactions.
The victim told the officer the charges were being made at the Home Depot nearby.
Officer Miller went to the store, where employees recognized the person linked to the attempted purchases and provided a description.
Police said she found the individual inside and began looking into the reported theft.
According to the department, the man ran from the store as Officer Miller approached.
She chased him across the parking lot, eventually catching up to him near the Black Angus restaurant.
Officers said he was taken into custody without further incident.
The woman’s purse was recovered, along with her car keys, house keys, and business keys.
She told police she was “incredibly grateful” for Officer Miller’s fast response and attention to detail.
The department said the case highlights how community members, nearby businesses, and officers can work together to stop crime as it happens and return stolen property to its owner.
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