SEATTLE – (SPD) – Police have arrested 26-year-old James Credit, who is suspected of stealing purses and bags from more than a dozen women in the Chinatown-International District, Rainier Valley, and Beacon Hill.
Over the last six weeks, the suspect approached his victims—primarily Asian women, from 40 to 80 years old—near their vehicles, outside Seattle grocery stores, and grabbed their bags before fleeing in a vehicle.
BRAZEN: Seattle police say all victims in purse snatchings have been Asian women. More than 12 reported. Several neighborhoods including Little Saigon in International District. Bias crimes unit investigating.
Details 5pm,6pm @komonews #StopAsianHate #StopAAPIHate @NextShark pic.twitter.com/x7ZsLsvZif
— Jonathan Choe Journalist KOMO News (@choeshow) May 19, 2021
On Tuesday, members of the Robbery Unit, Gun Violence Reduction Unit, Community Response Group and US Marshals arrested the suspect at a Renton car rental lot and arrested him. Police recovered a loaded handgun from the man–who is a convicted felon and unable to legally possess guns—and booked him into the King County Jail for multiple counts of theft and unlawful possession of a firearm.
SPD’s Bias Crimes unit will also review the cases, due to the suspect’s repeated targeting of Asian victims.
