FISHERS, Ind. (WTHR) - Police in Fishers have issued a warning about a nationwide theft ring that they believe has come to Hamilton County.
Police say a woman reported her wallet was stolen during a visit to Panera Bread at 8510 E. 96th Street earlier this month. Investigators believe the suspects went to the Target store at 116th Street and Interstate 69 and used the victim's stolen credit cards to buy $5,000 in gift cards.
Our sister station KGW reported this week on the thefts at Panera restaurants around the country, which have been reported as far back as 2012. Detectives believe the members of the crime ring are from South America, likely based in Chile.
Police say the thieves usually work in groups of two or three and use short-term rental properties and rental cars to avoid detection before fleeing the country. Most of the wallets are taken from purses or large handbags.
Fishers police offered the following safety tips to keep in mind when you're in public:
- Always stay alert.
- Be aware of your surroundings and avoid becoming easily distracted (i.e. Cell phones, laptop computers).
- Download the Relay App at www.Relayapp.com and immediately report suspicious activity.
- Always keep valuables visible
- Purses and handbags should be held in your lap. Never hang your bag over the back of a chair.
- Make certain purses and handbags are kept closed. Zipper style bags are preferred.
- Set up fraud alerts on all credit/debit cards.
- Immediately notify the police if you think you have become a victim. Do not wait until you get home. Time is critical in these cases. The sooner the police are notified the better the chance is the criminals will be caught.
Even though many of the thefts have been reported from Panera Bread locations, police say the thieves may also be moving on to grocery stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's to target their next victims.