APD investigating after woman finds multiple stolen purses in Atlanta woods, including her own

ATLANTA — Atlanta police are investigating after several stolen purses were found abandoned in the woods.

A woman said Channel 2’s Elizabeth Rawlins that her purse was stolen from her car in Chastain Park on Thursday, but she was able to find it using a tracking device she had inside.

The woman said Channel 2 Action News that once she found her purse, and other items dumped with it in the woods, she not only called the Atlanta Police Department to tell them what she had found, but she even waited for them to arrive.

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She told Rawlins that what started as a fun afternoon with her children at the park turned into a nightmare.

“When I got back into my car, I realized my purse wasn’t there,” the woman said.

She wouldn’t show her face on camera because she says her entire life was in her purse, from her laptop to her credit cards to her Social Security numbers. Some of that information has still not been accounted for.

“Between last night and this morning, I was able to locate locations,” she said. Channel 2 Action News.

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The woman told Rawlins she was able to track her purse through her laptop and headphones to a wooded area about 10 miles away in northwest Atlanta.

“He goes over there, he finds my purse, not just my purse but several others with their personal and private belongings,” the woman said.

At the scene, the woman found handbags, bags and school bags, all of which appeared to have been stolen and dumped in the same place.

After calling the APD several times but getting no officers to come to the woods, she called Channel 2 Action News.

“When they received your contact, the officer who showed up was very aware of the situation and she seemed like she wanted to do something,” the woman said.

Eventually, the woman was able to hand over the stolen bags to the police and she hopes this will not only close her case, but also the cases of others.

“You get up every morning, you go to work, what for? For people to come and take all that away from you?” she said.

Police don’t recommend playing detective like this woman and mother did, but having tracking devices can certainly be helpful to investigators.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call APD.

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