Lubbock police officials are warning residents about a group of distraction thieves who, for at least three months, have been stealing from women in West Texas.
Lubbock police Lt. Leith McClure said investigators believe three people -- two men and a woman -- have been using stolen debit and credit cards and buying as many gift cards as they can.
Lubbock police investigators have linked the thieves to at least seven cases since February.
McClure said based on the investigation, one of the thieves will approach a woman in the store. The thief will strike up a conversation with the woman to distract her while the other thief steals the woman's wallet from her purse, which is left inside the shopping cart.
He said that, within an hour, the thieves will try to empty their victims' bank accounts or max out their credit cards by buying gift cards.
"By the time the person gets to the register and realizes their wallet's been stolen, it's been a while," McClure said.
Officials said investigators believe the thieves run the debit cards as credit cards to get around the required personal identification number.
Lubbock police crime analyst Bailea Coffel said thieves typically will sell the gift cards bought with stolen money.