Walmart shoppers who picked up woman’s dropped purse were hunted by police – but were just trying to return it

THREE Walmart shoppers had found themselves suspects in a theft case after another shopper forgot her purse in a shopping cart.

On October 31, outside a local Florida Walmart, a woman left her purse in a shopping cart and drove away without it, leaving the cart near her parking spot.

4

4

Soon after, three new customers parked nearby and saw the purse in an empty shopping cart.

Security footage shows the three women grabbing the purse and throwing it in their car.

This simple action almost landed the group in hot water.

The woman who had forgotten her purse eventually realized and contacted the store, eventually involving local authorities.

Winter Haven Public Safety Department quickly took to their Facebook to share photos of the group of three and their vehicle asking people to reach out with information.

“Doing the right thing isn’t hard, but these three didn’t do the right thing,” wrote the authorities in their post.

According to authorities, there was $1,800 in cash in addition to. a wallet full of credit cards in the forgotten purse.

Residents in the area were quick to condemn the women and call for their arrest and prosecution.

“A thief spends every second of the day looking for crimes of opportunity, they’re quick because they’re practiced,” commented one user.

“I hope they get all of their information and get charged. Not everyone is honest but come on, why would someone leave a purse behind? I’m glad that the lady came forward because sometimes people are embarrassed and wouldn’t want to say anything but then there’s people that don’t know what they should do,” wrote another.

It seemed as though the three women, once located, would be in legal trouble for absconding with the purse and its contents.

That was until they returned the purse with nothing missing.

Not only had the women not taken any money, but they had also proven that they had been trying to find the owner.

“The victim has asked that charges not be filed since everything was still inside of her purse and the subjects who located the purse had been trying to contact her,” read the police update.

Despite the happy ending to the story, some people are not so convinced that the women deserve to be let off easily.

“They should be prosecuted for intent alone not to mention grand larceny—-did victim think they will never do it again?—-Her not wanting to press charges only emboldens them to do it again,” claimed one Facebook commenter.

4