Police: Video shows woman encourage child to snatch purse from Newnan Juicy Crab

NEWNAN, Ga. - Newnan police released a shocking video Friday that appears to show a woman encouraging a child to snatch a purse from an empty table at a busy restaurant.

Police say they are not sure if the woman is the mother of the child seen grabbing the purse on surveillance video. Investigators say they will sort that out once they can identify and arrest the woman for the disturbing crime.

The crime took place at The Juicy Crab in Newnan last Saturday night.

Police say the woman and child were part of a large group of five adults and eight children.

The woman seen holding a toddler appears to direct another child she is with to come over to an empty table. After a brief discussion, police say the child can be seen taking a purse that doesn’t belong to either one of them, hiding it under a jacket and walking away.

Newnan police want to identify this woman to file charges.

Detective Taylor Dalton with Newnan Police told FOX 5 the woman could face charges of theft and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Police say the purse belonged to a server who works at the seafood eatery. She had left it in the booth.

Police believe the woman holding the toddler may have instructed the child on the proper getaway, but she immediately walks back into the camera's view and retrieves something from the adults at the table.

The group then quickly packs up, leaving with the child. Police say they are unsure if those other adults were part of the crime.

Police also want to identify a man later seen on the video. Investigators say he was part of the group and was responsible for paying the dinner bill. Police say he didn’t, and skipped out on a more than $500 tab.

If you can help identify the woman and man in this surveillance video, call the Newnan Police Department.