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Ephrata Police announce arrest in Walmart purse-snatching case

EPHRATA — A 50-year-old Lancaster County woman is facing theft charges after police say she snatched a shopper’s purse at the Ephrata Walmart earlie...
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EPHRATA — A 50-year-old Lancaster County woman is facing theft charges after police say she snatched a shopper’s purse at the Ephrata Walmart earlier this month.

Michele L. Willis, 50, of Hopeland, is charged with theft by unlawful taking in the incident, which occurred Jan. 3.

Ephrata Police say a 73-year-old woman reported that her purse had been removed from her shopping cart, which she had left unattended. Another customer found the purse in a different aisle a few minutes later, but its contents — including cash and credit cards — were missing, police say.

Police established a person of interest using surveillance footage and posted a photo of the suspect on social media. They received several tips that eventually led them to Willis.

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