Pickpocket Took a Wallet From Behind a Woman's Back, Stole Its Contents and Put It Back Without Her Noticing

A California restaurant's surveillance camera caught a pickpocket in action earlier this week and police hope the video will help lead them to the thief who ended up spending thousands of dollars with what she took from the victim's wallet.

According to the Walnut Creek Police Department, the incident happened at a Tender Greens restaurant Monday. The footage shows a woman coming into the restaurant and sitting at an empty table, going through her own purse and then playing on her phone as she looked around at other patrons.

Almost halfway through the video, the woman appeared to talk with other restaurant patrons who were leaving, acting as if she wanted to take their table. As they left, she quickly bent down and within a second removed another woman's wallet from a purse sitting on the ground or the back of her chair.

The pickpocket going through the wallet belonging to the woman sitting off to her side. (Image source: KTVU-TV)

The thief fidgeted for a while and then sat down at this other table where she proceeded to empty the woman's wallet and then returned it to her purse.

She then leaned over to put the wallet back into the victim's purse after she had taken what she had wanted. (Image source: KTVU-TV)

The victim sat with her back to the thief eating her meal and talking to a companion the whole time.

Watch KTVU-TV's report with footage of the pickpocket in action:

After taking victim's cards, police said the thief went on a $3,000 shopping spree.

"This is a great reminder to keep your valuables in sight at all times," the police said on Facebook, asking that anyone with information to come forward to help identify the thief.

(H/T: KPIX-TV)