2 Arrested In String Of Bay Area Purse Thefts
SANTA ROSA (CBS SF) -- Two people have been arrested in connection with several recent purse thefts in Sonoma and Napa counties, a Sonoma County sheriff's sergeant said.
Joshua Lenzi, 25, who had addresses in Santa Rosa and Mill Valley, was arrested Thursday.
Then on Monday, Lenzi's girlfriend, Courtney Silliman, 31, of Vallejo, was arrested when she attended Lenzi's arraignment in Sonoma County Superior Court, sheriff's Sgt. Michael Raasch.
Silliman was suspected of participating in two of the thefts, Raasch said.
Three of the purse thefts occurred during a fundraising event at the Hanna Boys Center on April 20; at a Lucky supermarket in Petaluma on April 21; and at the Walmart in American Canyon on an undisclosed date, Raasch said.
Petaluma police recovered those three purses in the Comcast parking lot at 1455 N. McDowell Blvd. in Petaluma on April 23, Raasch said.
Lenzi became a suspect when he used his real identification card to try to cash a stolen check at a check-cashing business in Concord, Raasch said.
Petaluma police arrested him after he allegedly stole a woman's purse from a shopping cart at a Safeway store on Thursday night. A witness chased Lenzi and held him until police arrived, Raasch said.
Lenzi is also suspected of stealing two purses in Santa Rosa, and police there are investigating those thefts, Raasch said.
He was arrested on suspicion of commercial burglary, grand theft, possession of stolen property, check forgery and identity theft, Raasch said.
Silliman was arrested for commercial burglary, possession of stolen property, conspiracy and violation of probation for a DUI conviction.
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