A Rash of Preschool Purse Snatchings in West Boynton

Flickr user: wyrd one

Watch out for mommy's purse, kids!

What kind of criminal preys on parents waiting in line to pick up their kids from preschool? Four times in the past few weeks, unknown suspects have smashed windows and snatched purses from the cars of parents headed to pick up their kids at preschools and day-care centers in the West Boynton Beach area, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. From the sheriff's news release:

On May 15, 2009, at approximately 6:00 pm and May 21, 2009 at approximately 3:00 pm two vehicle burglaries occurred at preschools in the West Boynton Beach area.  The suspect(s) were parked in the area watching as parent's exited their vehicle without carrying their purse/handbag.  In both instances the suspects smashed the driver's window, removed the victim's belongings and then fled the area.  Witnesses advised seeing a gray in color vehicle parked in area.

On June 1, 2009 two vehicle burglaries occurred at Sunset Palms
Elementary School between 3:30 pm and 4:15 pm.  On June 2, 2009 at
approximately 4:15 pm one vehicle burglary occurred at Crystal Lakes
Elementary School. The suspect(s) were parked in the area watching as
parent's exited their vehicle without carrying their purse/handbag.  In
both instances the suspects smashed the driver's window, removed the
victim's belongings and then fled the area

The suspect(s) modes operandi is the same in all cases: The operator of a silver in color Ford Mustang parks vehicle on campus and maintains a visual of parents dropping off and/or picking-up children at school.  As parent walks in to sign out child, suspect vehicle pulls up to victim's driver's side door.  The passenger of the suspect vehicle exits, smashes driver's side window, grabs purse and flees the area.