Women in North Texas are being warned to be on the lookout for "sliders," or thieves operating at gas stations who steal your bag while you're at the pump.
Their crime is to brazenly steal purses from vehicles while the driver is busy either pumping gas or paying for it. It's a crime which is becoming increasingly popular at Dallas County gas stations.
Women in particular are more vulnerable, since they typically leave their purses on the front seat of the car with the door unlocked. In those few minutes, when the driver is distracted, is when the attentive crook strikes.
The slider has the opportunity to pull up next to his target's car, slide out of his car and into the victim's, snatch a bag and get out of sight before the owner realizes she has been robbed.
Although purse-snatching is an old form of theft by crooks looking to make small but quick scores, NBC 5 cameras found many women making the mistake of leaving their bags on the front seat with the doors unlocked.
"Oh man, I know things like this happen all the time, and I was just going to go run in and be outside and watch my purse," said driver Juanita Lovelace, at one North Texas gas station.
Police, however, said that is not enough. They are advising people to lock all doors, roll up windows and keep your valuables close by.
