Thieves steal wallet from purse hanging on back of chair at restaurant

ROSS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Authorities are seeking three people who they say worked together to steal a woman’s wallet Saturday at a Ross Park Mall restaurant.

Two men created a distraction while a woman took the victim’s wallet from her purse, which was hanging on a chair as she ate at The Cheesecake Factory, Ross Township police said.

The woman didn’t realize that her wallet was gone until another restaurant patron told her to check her purse.

Employees tried to stop the three culprits, but were unsuccessful. Two of the people involved were caught on surveillance video and police also obtained a photo of the car they used to get away.

The thieves fled in a rented, dark-colored 2016 Ford Explorer, police said.  Officials haven't had any recent reports of this type of theft, but they want to identify the three thieves as soon as possible.

Anyone with information is asked to call police.

Cox Media Group