OKC Police Arrest Suspect In String Of Purse Thefts

Oklahoma City police have arrested a suspect in connection to a string of purse thefts at metro Wal-Mart stores.

According to police, 28-year-old Steven Wilbanks was arrested on Wednesday for a string of purse thefts from customers at metro area Wal-Marts. Police said all of the purses were stolen when women placed them in the child seat of the shopping cart and then turned their backs. 

One of the police department's Civilian Investigation Specialists (CIS) was able to obtain information, including a tag number on Wilbanks' car. The detective assigned to the case was able to link Wilbanks to at least five similar cases by going through surveillance video and photos, according to police.

On Wednesday, armed with a warrant, officers from the OCPD Gang Unit located and arrested Wilbanks.

Wilbanks was booked into the Oklahoma County Jail on multiple complaints, including six counts of concealing stolen property, one count of grand larceny, and one count of petit larceny.

Investigators said they are looking into the possibility that Wilbanks is involved in numerous other thefts around the metro. As it turns out, Wilbanks is due at a sentencing hearing Friday after recently being convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon and first-degree burglary.