Women used child to snatch wallet at Bayside store, suspected in similar theft: cops

Updated 4:55 p.m.

BY CRISTABELLE TUMOLA AND LIAM LA GUERRE

Police are looking for two women who allegedly convinced a young child to steal a wallet at a Bayside clothing boutique last week and are suspected of committing a similar crime the same day.

The suspects had the child take the wallet containing $200 from a salesperson at Karma Boutique at 38-27 Bell Blvd., on May 7, according to police and the owner.

Around 2 p.m. while the store was busy and the salesperson was distracted, one woman told the girl to take the wallet, which was behind the cash register, according to the store’s owner and police.

The child then gave the wallet, which also contained personal identification and a debit card, to one of the women who placed it in her pants and fled the clothing store. About 15 minutes later, the salesperson noticed her wallet was missing when she was going to pay for her delivered lunch.

Karma Boutique owner Margaret Papacosta stands near where a wallet was stolen from her store last week. (THE COURIER/Photo by Eric Jankiewicz)

After 11 years in Bayside, Karma has not experienced a crime such as this one, owner Margaret Papacosta said.

“On Bell Boulevard for something like this to happen, it’s unheard of,” she said. “I was shocked.”

Papacosta, a mother of three, added what was really surprising was that the suspects used a young girl for the crime.

“She was forced to commit a crime,” Papacosta said. “What does her future look like?”

The suspects also committed a similar theft at a Bayside thrift shop called The Worthy Pause, on Corporal Kennedy Street, the same afternoon, according to police and Rose Meehan, a volunteer who works at the store.

Meeha said two women fitting the suspects’ description and the young girl stole from two volunteers at the shop. They took a wallet containing $80 and a credit card, and a fanny pack with a driver’s license and credit cards inside of it.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or can text their tips to CRIMES (274637), then enter TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.

With additional reporting by Angy Altamirano

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