DAYTON -- It's a person's worst fear, having your identity stolen, well, it almost happened to one of our reporters, Annette Peagler while she was on the job on New Years Eve.
While Peagler was reporting during a live shot, someone broke into the news van and stole her purse, ten minutes later the thief started using her debit card.
It happened in the parking lot next to the Century Bar on South Jefferson.
Peagler notified police immediately after learning her purse was stolen.
"The first thing we're going to do is we're going to have the victim give us a list of all the places the card is used and then we're going to go back to those merchants as quickly as we can and try to pull as much surveillance as possible," said Detective Thomas Cope, a detective in the financial crimes division with the Dayton Police Department.
Surveillance cameras show the purse disappeared around 10:03 p.m., less than five minutes later, the suspect used her debit card at the B.P. Gas Station on South Main Street in downtown Dayton.
Police say if you fall victim to a purse theft, take the following steps:
1. Cancel all your credit cards and checks
2. Put out a fraud alert to the credit bureau
3. Change all the locks on your car and apartment (if your keys are stolen)
Detective William Jones and Thomas Cope who are handling the case say to make sure you do these things immediately, also make sure you don't carry your social security card or birth certificate because thieves can easily take your identity with those documents.
"In this day and age you don't need social security card or anything with your social security number on it in your purse for any reason, the other thing you can avoid is writing down you pins," said Detective Cope.
Another lesson I've learned is to conceal your purse in the car if you decide not to carry it, or if at all possible try to carry all of your valuables with you, you never know when you could be at risk.
"Just as you found out it doesn't take much and someone could walk away with your purse, it's happened to probably just about everyone out there," said Detective Cope.
Police are looking at surveillance video of Annette's purse theft. They did notice two possible suspects. If you happen to have any information please call 333-COPS.
While Peagler was reporting during a live shot, someone broke into the news van and stole her purse, ten minutes later the thief started using her debit card.
It happened in the parking lot next to the Century Bar on South Jefferson.
Peagler notified police immediately after learning her purse was stolen.
"The first thing we're going to do is we're going to have the victim give us a list of all the places the card is used and then we're going to go back to those merchants as quickly as we can and try to pull as much surveillance as possible," said Detective Thomas Cope, a detective in the financial crimes division with the Dayton Police Department.
Surveillance cameras show the purse disappeared around 10:03 p.m., less than five minutes later, the suspect used her debit card at the B.P. Gas Station on South Main Street in downtown Dayton.
Police say if you fall victim to a purse theft, take the following steps:
1. Cancel all your credit cards and checks
2. Put out a fraud alert to the credit bureau
3. Change all the locks on your car and apartment (if your keys are stolen)
Detective William Jones and Thomas Cope who are handling the case say to make sure you do these things immediately, also make sure you don't carry your social security card or birth certificate because thieves can easily take your identity with those documents.
"In this day and age you don't need social security card or anything with your social security number on it in your purse for any reason, the other thing you can avoid is writing down you pins," said Detective Cope.
Another lesson I've learned is to conceal your purse in the car if you decide not to carry it, or if at all possible try to carry all of your valuables with you, you never know when you could be at risk.
"Just as you found out it doesn't take much and someone could walk away with your purse, it's happened to probably just about everyone out there," said Detective Cope.
Police are looking at surveillance video of Annette's purse theft. They did notice two possible suspects. If you happen to have any information please call 333-COPS.
