SCIU Detectives Identify and Arrest Purse Theft Suspect, Charging Her with Several Felony Crimes
Spokane County Investigative Unit Detectives began investigating a reported theft of a purse and its contents from Denny’s on S. Geiger Boulevard. The adult female victim (80) inadvertently left her purse on a waiting bench in the lobby of the restaurant, and it was stolen. With the assistance of restaurant employees and video surveillance, SCIU Detective positively identified the suspect. They later located and arrested her on several felony charges and booked her into jail.
On December 20, 2024, at approximately 6:40 pm, the adult female victim (80) stated she had dinner at Denny’s located on S. Geiger Boulevard. Afterward, she sat on the bench near the front door to wait for other family members. When she left, she did not realize she had left her purse, which contained her ID, credit cards, $200 in gift cards, cash, other forms of identification, a cell phone, and other items.
Within minutes, when the victim realized the mistake, she returned to the restaurant to retrieve her purse, but unfortunately, it was gone.
Within approximately 21 minutes of her purse being stolen, the victim learned someone fraudulently used one of her credit cards at the Petro Station on W. Aero Road. The fraudulent charge to the card totaled $141.00.
The victim reported the theft to Crime Check.
On December 29, 2024, a third party located the victim’s purse near a garbage can. He identified and contacted the victim using information he discovered in the purse and returned it to her. Unfortunately, most of the items, including bank cards, ID, cash, other forms of identification, gift cards, cell phones, and her keys, had been taken.
With the assistance of a family member, SCIU Detectives learned the victim’s stolen gift cards were for sale on Facebook Market Place. The selling account was under the name of “Laine Crawford”.
SCIU Detectives, who were already investigating this incident, interviewed the victim and witnesses and obtained video footage from Denney’s. The video showed the suspect, identified as 26-year-old Madelaine G. Crawford, notice the purse, sit near and attempt to conceal it before walking out of the restaurant, stealing it.
SCIU Detectives responded to the Petro Station to obtain video surveillance during the time the fraudulent $141.00 charge was made, but the employees denied the request without a search warrant. SCIU Detectives obtained a copy of the video with a search warrant.
Meanwhile, the victim and her family spent hundreds of dollars rekeying locks to secure the victim’s home and vehicles.
With probable cause to arrest Crawford, SCIU Detectives conducted surveillance on January 3, 2025, near a location Crawford was believed to frequent. During this, SCIU Detectives observed a Dodge truck they believed Crawford was in and conducted an investigative stop near W. Hallett Road and S. Abbott Road. They confirmed Crawford was inside the Dodge, and she was detained without incident.
After being advised of her rights, Crawford admitted to finding the purse at Denny’s and taking it on December 20, 2024. She also eventually admitted to using the credit card at Petro, dumping the purse there, and selling one of the gift cards on Facebook Market Place.
Crawford was transported and booked into the Spokane County jail on felony charges of Theft 2nd Degree (three counts), Traffic in Stolen Property 1st Degree, Identity Theft 2nd Degree, and a misdemeanor charge of Theft 3rd Degree.
The following day, January 4, 2025, at approximately 11:15 am, Crawford was released after posting the $1,500.00 case bond set by Spokane County Superior Court Commissioner T. Rugel.
This Spokane County Sheriff Office news article "SCIU Detectives Identify and Arrest Purse Theft Suspect, Charging Her with Several Felony Crimes" was originally found on https://www.spokanecounty.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?CID=7