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Crime & Safety

Petaluma Lucky's at the Center of Purse Theft Spree

Two suspects have been arrested and booked on suspicion of being involved in a string of purse thefts stretching from American Canyon to Sonoma County.

After a week-long investigation, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office Property Crimes Detectives, with the assistance of the Petaluma Police Department, has arrested a suspect in a string of purse snatching cases that were scattered across the region.

Detectives arrested Joshua Lenzi, 25, of Santa Rosa and Mill Valley, along with his girlfriend, Courtney Silliman, 31, of Vallejo last week.    

The saga started on the previous weekend. On Saturday, April 20, detectives began an investigation when a victim had her purse stolen while attending a fundraiser at the Hanna Boys Center in Sonoma. The victim had placed her purse in an office and someone stole it. Soon there after, the victim's credit card was used at a gas station in Vallejo.

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The next day, the suspect attempted to cash one of the victim's stolen/forged checks at a check-cashing business in Concord. The suspect used his real ID card and he was identified as Joshua Lenzi.

The next day, a woman shopping at the Lucky's store in Petaluma placed her purse in a shopping cart and walked away for a few seconds to grab an item off a shelf. The suspect grabbed the victim's purse and ran out the door.

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On April 23, Petaluma Police received a call of three found purses in the parking lot of Comcast. The police recovered the Lucky's store victim's purse, the Hanna Boys Center victim's purse and a purse belonging to a woman from Vallejo, who had her purse stolen while shopping at the American Canyon Walmart.

Detectives were actively searching for Lenzi when he was arrested by Petaluma Police on Thursday, April 25. Lenzi was suspected of entering a Safeway in Petaluma, stealing a woman's purse from a shopping cart and running out of the store. Lenzi was chased by a witness who captured him and held him until police arrived.

Lenzi was initially arrested on suspicion of commercial burglary and grand theft. He was booked at the county jail and his bail was originally set at $10,000.

Detectives began finding additional purse theft reports that fit how Lenzi reportedly commited the crimes. Detectives began interviewing witnesses and gathering surveillance video, which ultimately lead to a string of six purse theft cases. Lenzi may have committed two additional purse thefts in the Santa Rosa Police Department's jurisdiction, which they will follow-up on.

So far, Lenzi has been charged with three counts of commercial burglary, two counts of grand theft, plus possession of stolen property, check forgery and ID theft. Lenzi's bail was set at $115,000.

Detectives also discovered that Lenzi's girlfriend, Courtney Silliman, had participated in two of the purse theft cases. Silliman was arrested yesterday when she showed up in court to see Lenzi's arraignment.

Silliman has been charged with commercial burglary, possession of stolen property,  conspiracy and violation of her probation. Silliman was on probation from a previous DUI conviction. Her bail was set at $16,000.

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