Sunday Alston, 47, was the subject of a search reported here last Wednesday.Alston talked up her victims in order to distract them before she made off with their valuables, Lt. Robert Bracken said last week.
She also "often wears different hats and scarfs while committing these offenses in an effort to disguise her appearance," he said.
Alston was wanted for six separate incidents in Clifton alone, Bracken said.
Over the past few months, she victimized customers at grocery stores and other businesses -- including Michael's and Dollar Tree -- throughout North Jersey, the lieutenant said.
"Her mode of operation is to locate a female who is in the process of shopping and who has a purse visible within their shopping cart," Bracken said. "While the victim is either a short distance away from the cart, or distracted while in process of selecting merchandise, Alston will reach into the shopper's purse and remove their wallet.
"Once in possession of the wallet, she will leave the establishment and almost immediately begin making purchases at other retail locations with the credit cards from the stolen wallets," he said.
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