Woman uses her purse to steal $600 worth of crab and steak, sheriff's report says

A woman stole $600 in groceries from Piggly Wiggly, 32 Shelter Cove Lane, by placing the items in her handbag, according to a Beaufort County Sheriff's report.

The goods were stolen Thursday evening, but the crime wasn't detected by store employees until Monday, according to the report.

The store's manager reviewed security footage that showed the woman place several cans of crab meat and family-sized packages of steak into her basket.

She walked out of sight of the cameras and then returned with an empty basket to get more cans of crab meat.

She then left the store with an empty basket and an "obviously bulging purse," the report stated.

Two minutes later, the woman was back for more, and walked directly to the meat department, where she put more steak into her purse.

In all, she made off with 24 cans of crab meat worth $288 and more than $312 worth of steak, the report said.

The following reports were filed Nov. 4 to 6 at the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office on Hilton Head Island:

GREATER BLUFFTON

Theft

• Riverside at Belfair, 60 Oak Forest Drive -- Cleaning equipment worth $6,000 stolen.

• Piggly Wiggly, 50 Burnt Church Road -- Employee's iPod worth $250 containing downloaded songs and videos worth $4,900 stolen.

• Home Depot, 20 Gateway Village Road -- Gas generator worth $883 stolen.

• Southeast Welding Services, 151 Burnt Church Road -- Two gas tanks worth $500 and a hand truck worth $150 stolen from fenced yard.

• Lakes at Myrtle Park, 4921 Bluffton Parkway -- $350 in cash stolen from home.

Vandalism

• Shady Glen Circle -- Graffiti scratched into the hood of a 1997 Chevrolet. Damage: $400.

• Ward Edwards, 10 Buckingham Plantation Drive -- Window shot by BB gun. Damage: $400.

• Confederate Avenue -- Mailbox knocked down. Damage: $300.

• Frierson Circle -- Window of home smashed. Damage: $200.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND

Car break-ins

• Ketch Court -- Global-positioning unit worth $500 stolen from 2007 Chevrolet Acadia.

• Jonesville Road -- $300 in cash and cell phone worth $100 stolen from 2007 Nissan Altima.

• Kangaroo Express, 71 Mathews Drive -- Wallet containing $250 in cash stolen from Chrysler PT Cruiser.

Grand theft auto

Shelter Cove Marina, 9 Harbourside Circle -- Vehicle worth $10,000 stolen. Later recovered with jewelry worth $350 and $5 in cash missing.

Shoplifting

• Kangaroo Express, 1 Gumtree Road -- Silver teeth "grill," gold teeth "grill" and cigarette case worth a total of $26 stolen. A 16-year-old Beaufort boy was arrested.

Theft

• Broad Creek Marina, 18 Simmons Road -- Laptop computer worth $1,500 and television worth $825 stolen from boat.

• Johnson's Greenhouse, 287 Wild Horse Road -- Plants worth $260 stolen.

• Old Oyster Factory Restaurant, 101 Marshland Road -- Johnboat worth $500 stolen from dock.

• Dollar General, 435 William Hilton Parkway -- $50stolen from vending machine. Door pried open. Damage: $100.

Vandalism

• Chimney Cove Village, 839 William Hilton Parkway -- 2000 Mazda van dented, leather cover ripped, antenna and windshield wipers broken off. Door mirrors and antenna broken off of 1992 Dodge van. Damage: $800.

• Manatee Way -- 1997 Dodge Caravan scratched. Damage: $750.

• Marshland Road -- Window of 1993 Honda Civic smashed. Damage: $250.

• Heron Lake, 100 Mathews Drive -- Window of 1997 Ford Taurus smashed. Damage: $200.

Compiled by Daniel Brownstein