L.C. Authorities Looking for Driver of This Car

Lake Area law enforcement is asking the public's helping in tracking down a possible purse snatcher. Security cameras snapped the picture of the 'getaway vehicle.'

If this car looks familiar, you can help put this person away.

Here's the story

 

On Wednesday, January 29, between 5:45 p.m. and 6:20 p.m., Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the parking lots of a shopping center in the 300 block of Sam Houston Jones Pkwy (Hwy. 378), and Wal-Mart on Highway 171 North, Moss Bluff, in reference to two separate reports of an attempted purse snatching.

During the investigation, deputies discovered in both incidents, the suspects were driving the vehicle seen in the surveillance photo, which is described as an older model silver Ford Taurus, and attempted to steal purses from women in the parking lot.

Upon arrival at the shopping center on Sam Houston Jones Pkwy, deputies discovered the victim was approached by a young black woman who appeared to be in her teens who sprayed her with some sort of mace and attempted to steal her purse as she walked to her vehicle in the parking lot. When deputies arrived at Wal-Mart on Highway 171, they discovered a young black woman who appeared to be in her teens knocked down an elderly victim walking to her car in the parking lot and attempted to steal her purse.  The elderly woman sustained moderate injuries.

Lake Charles Police Department is also investigating a similar attempted purse snatching which occurred at a grocery store on the corner of 12^th St. and Common St. in Lake Charles, also on January 29 around the same time as the other two incidents.

        The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office is asking the public for assistance.  If anyone has any information about these incidents, please call CPSO at 491-3605 or Crimestoppers at 439-2222.

CPSO Detective Mark Clark is the lead investigator on both cases.