Woman's purse stolen from church

NORTHVILLE TOWNSHIP (WXYZ) - A woman was in church for worship service Sunday when her purse was stolen.

She was inside Ward Presbyterian Church in Northville Township when she discovered it was missing. 

The victim, who does not want to be identified, tracked her last card transactions to a Shell gas station off of 5 Mile and Newburgh in Livonia.

She discovered that while she was still in the church, two of her credit cards had been charged--$100 on each. 

The victim called the gas station and a cashier pulled up the receipts. The manager remembered the unusual purchase.

Whoever was using the cards bought four cartons of Newport cigarettes and allegedly told the manager she worked at a party story down the street and said she ran out of cigarettes.

In a surveillance video, the woman can be seen pulling up to the gas station and getting out of the passenger side of a rust-colored sedan.  

She can be seen putting on gloves putting while she entered the store.

The video shows her buying the cartons of cigarettes.

Northville Police and Livonia Police are investigating the cases. 

Livonia Police are asking if anyone knows anything about the fraudulent credit card charges to call them at (734) 466-2470.

Representatives from Ward Presbyterian Church believe this was an isolated incident.  They would only tell 7 Action News they are praying for the person or persons responsible.