Three suspects are arrested in a series of purse snatchings.
Police know of at least four cases so far and believe there are more victims.
The crimes started Thursday night.
The victims had their purses violently pulled away from them.
In many cases the women were badly injured, pulled to the ground and dragged.
The first reported purse snatching occurred in this Walmart parking lot at Kings Canyon and Peach in Southeast Fresno.
It was last Thursday 7:45 at night.
The suspects walked up to a woman and violently grabbed her purse.
“Security is usually surrounding everywhere around here. So when you said somebody got their purse snatched right here, it's pretty amazing,” said shopper Pattie Medina.
Crowds didn't stop the thieves. And neither did daylight.
Friday afternoon, the trio grabbed a purse from a woman at Robertito’s in downtown Fresno at Tuolumne and P Street.
And the next day - on Saturday evening - they robbed a woman at River Park in North Fresno.
“They were targeting females walking through parking lots, drive up in a car and either reach from a car or one of the suspects would jump out of a car grab a purse and then jump back in the car,” said Capt. Greg Garner with the Fresno Police Department.
The suspects are also tied to a purse snatching in Clovis.
Police believe there are more victims.
Maria and Chana Rodriguez shop at the Walmart on Kings Canyon.
She didn't think carrying a purse was risky.
“Usually it's just dangling down, I don't think about it,” said Maria.
She is now more cautious.
“Well I'm holding it a lot closer. I don't want anyone to walk by and grab it,” said Maria
“We just gotta be careful. There's a lot of people up to no good,” said Chana.
If you had your purse stolen, and have not reported it yet to police, contact Fresno Police at (559) 621-7000.
