A Long Island, New York woman who had just purchased a Louis Vuitton purse for $3,100 was followed home from the mall and robbed in front of her home, according to police.
The woman was shopping at Saks Fifth Avenue at the Walt Whitman Shops in South Huntington, New York on January 28. While at the mall, she purchased the designer purse. The woman told police that as she was leaving the store she thought she saw a woman filming her, WABC-TV reported.
It is not uncommon for thieves to watch unknowing shoppers and follow them home before robbing them of what they purchased. Otherwise known as follow home robberies, victims will be followed from a place to their home before the robbery takes place.
Victims tend to be targeted based on the car they drive, the stores they walked into, or the items they purchased while a suspect watched.
After purchasing her Louis Vuitton purse, the woman drove back to her home in Deer Park and parked her vehicle in the parking lot. She then got out of the car and assisted her child with disabilities into the home, leaving the purse in her car.
As she entered the home, an unknown man exited from the passenger side door of a gold Honda Odyssey, WABC-TV reported.
The unknown man approached the woman's vehicle and allegedly proceeded to smash in the rear window. He was able to remove the designer purse from the vehicle before the driver of the Honda Odyssey drove back by the house and picked him up.
Suffolk County Police are still investigating the grand larceny and are asking for the public's help in identifying the two individuals involved. Police believe the driver of the vehicle was female.
People with any information about the grand larceny are being asked to contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS.
Newsweek reached out to the Suffolk Police Department for comment.
Los Angeles, California in particular has seen a large rise in the amount of follow home burglaries they've had since the beginning of 2021. Los Angeles Police Department identified over 110 incidents throughout 2021.
LAPD reported that suspects would target victims in L.A. from high-end and luxury stores and restaurants near and around Melrose Avenue, follow them home, and rob the victims while they were arriving home. Police also noticed victims were being targeted based on the car they were driving and the designer accessories they wore.
In one incident, LAPD Follow Home Task Force Detectives along with various police departments and SWAT recovered more than $30,000 in cash, a Rolex watch, and several designer handbags.
LAPD recommended that community members remain aware of their surroundings and of the people around them. They also said to be careful about showing off expensive jewelry, purses or other personal belongings.
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