Apr 24, 2009 11:26 pm US/Eastern
Accused Commuter Crook Ripped Off S. Fla. Women
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4) ―
Elsie Hobbs could be known as the commuting crook, according to Boca Raton Police.
In one of the most unusual and time-consuming crimes, Hobbs is accused of hopping flights to Ft. Lauderdale, buying bolt cutters and a padlock, heading to a local gym and picking out a mark.
Police say Hobbs would wait for an unsuspecting woman to leave the locker room, cut the padlock off her locker, steal her purse, replace the padlock and head to the mall. By replacing the padlock, police believe Hobbs was able to buy herself some extra time. Hobbs gained entrance to the gyms because she had memberships to several gyms and told employees she was on vacation and wanted to work out.
Detectives said that's exactly what happened to Beth Waterman.
"It's hard to think that someone would go this length instead of getting a job," said Waterman, "but I guess this is her job."
Hobbs is accused of using Waterman's credit cards to ring up $11,000 in purchases in two hours time. Police said surveillance video shows Hobbs shopping at the Town Center Mall in Boca Raton, hitting stores like Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom's, Macy's and Tiffany's.
At the end of her long day, police said Hobbs hopped a flight back home to Illinois.
All the while, Waterman was left at the gym, waiting to get the new padlock cut off her locker and canceling all of her credit cards.
"I was pretty sick because I had credit cards, my checkbook. My whole life was in (my purse)," she said.
In all, police believe Hobbs carried out the crime at least five times in South Florida. She is accused of ringing up close to $40,000 in charges over the past two years. Police in Boca Raton identified Hobbs as the suspect through surveillance video, a tag number on a rental car, the credit card purchases and interviews with store clerks.
Police contacted authorities in Illinois where Hobbs is on probation for fraud. Illinois police arrested Hobbs for violating her probation and Boca Raton detectives said Hobbs also committed crimes in Colorado.
Another South Florida victim, Tania Zucker, told CBS 4's Carey Codd her purse was stolen from Lifetime Athletic Center in Boca Raton in February.
"My life was in my wallet," Zucker said. "It makes you feel like you have to look over your shoulder all the time. That was really disconcerting that a professional was doing this."
Police accuse Hobbs of using Zucker's credit cards to ring up more than $3,000 in charges.
Both women are grateful a dogged detective, Mark Horowitz, stayed on top of the case and made an arrest.
"I was shocked that anyone was even pursuing a stolen purse," said Waterman, adding that she though the case would wind up in a file cabinet somewhere. "It was a big deal to me but not for what (police) see."
Once extradited from Illinois, Boca Raton police said Hobbs will face 11 felony counts, including Grand Theft, Organized Scheme to Defraud and Forgery of a Credit Card.
It appears the next time Elsie Hobbs flies to South Florida, her visit will last much longer than a single day.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Your Body: The Wonder Under The Skin
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
