Good Samaritan pays for woman's groceries after theft of her wallet at Dillons / LJWorld.com

It was a chaotic scene.

Judy Crumet was trying to process the fact someone had stolen her wallet Saturday evening from her shopping cart and ran out of Dillons, 1015 W. 23rd St.

Crumet thought she would have to give back the groceries she had already purchased, but a clerk handed her a receipt. An anonymous woman had paid cash — $63.18 — for her groceries as Crumet was giving a statement to police officers.

“I was totally floored,” Crumet said Monday, “because I have no idea who it was.”

The act of the anonymous Good Samaritan wasn’t the only part of the story with a happy ending. Several Dillons employees followed the female suspect out of the store and saw her go into a nearby apartment building.

The incident started about 5:40 p.m., Crumet said, when the woman reached into her purse and stole her wallet in a split second as she was reaching for something in a freezer.

“Even if you think you’re being careful with your purse, make sure you be a little more careful,” Crumet said. “I would have sworn I would be the last person that would ever happen to.”

Sgt. Matt Sarna, a Lawrence police spokesman, said several witnesses followed the suspect into the 2300 block of Alabama Street where she entered an apartment, and officers later arrested the 21-year-old suspect, recovered the wallet and returned it to Crumet. Prosecutors filed charges of misdemeanor theft, criminal trespassing and drug possession Monday against the suspect, Treasure K. Terrell.

Crumet said she was overwhelmed by the work of the police officers and Dillons employees who helped her. But she wanted to do one more thing to thank the anonymous stranger who paid for her groceries.

On Monday Crumet, a teller supervisor at Capitol Federal, 1046 Vt., donated a $63.18 check to the Relay for Life campaign in her office.

“I thought that would be a great place for it. I just want something said so that woman knows how much it meant to me.” Crumet said. “I’m a firm believer in paying it forward, and I hope that somebody would take heed from that.”

TopJayhawk 6 years ago

But they took away Treasures' treasure. What a joke.

youngjayhawk 6 years ago

Love how you paid it forward!

Adrienne Sanders 6 years ago

Let this be a lesson to women- don't leave your purse sitting in the cart! I can't tell you how many times I've seen women gazing at the shelves while their purse sits open in the cart, just waiting for a dishonest person to snatch the wallet or the whole purse. Plus those carts are filthy and you're going to carry all those germs with you if you still have your purse when you leave.

Also- "Crumet thought she would have to give back the groceries she had already purchased," Clearly she hadn't already purchased them.

mom_of_three 6 years ago

Lots of things in life are filthy. Carts are the least of my worries. Plus now they have those wipes for the germophobes.

Glad they caught the person and she got her wallet back. Good samaritans are hard to come by these days.

pace 6 years ago

let this be a lesson, read a story and troll pick it to death. The super power of foresight must be the only power left to you.

I am just thrilled they caught the thief. Well done.

liveyourlife07 6 years ago

God Bless the kind person who paid for Judy's groceries. There should be more people like you in this world.

somedude20 6 years ago

Thank the sky god that many criminals are still stupid so that they can get caught. Never make poo poo in your own backyard. If only the bigger fish were this dumb (the ones who steal millions of dollars)

Jake Esau 6 years ago

I love reading stories like this... It's nice to see someone helping out without any desire for recognition. And good for the employees for caring about an honest customer!

Kontum1972 6 years ago

hmm..well the thief solved their problem of no food....and room and board for awhile...LoL

happy it all worked out...crime does not pay...death penalty

Kent Fisher 6 years ago

Glad it worked out, Judy!

I lived up the street from you growing up...still think of you guys as I drive through the neighborhood. (Kent F.)

Kat Christian 6 years ago

The nerve of that girl to do such a blatant thing. What is wrong with some people? Have they no morals at all? I lock my purse with the baby straps in the cart plus pile it high with groceries so no one can get to it. A crook would have to take the entire cart if they wanted my purse that badly, but that would only draw attention to them plus my big mouth yelling too. But really I wish someone would make a cage of sorts with a lock so we women could put our purses in while we shop. Any ideas out there? Hope this teaches Treasure a lesson that she shouldn't take what doesn't belong to her. Thank you mystery woman for being so kind as to pay for Crumet's groceries. Hope only good blessings come your way.

Archive for Tuesday, June 7, 2011