A police operation designed to crack down on thieves targeting visitors on the Las Vegas Strip has resulted in the arrest of a 33-year-old woman accused of stealing a decoy purse and carrying a large collection of stolen personal information and hotel access cards.
Operation “Purse Bait”
According to court documents obtained by local media, the arrest took place on June 8 at Paris Las Vegas, where officers from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department were conducting a “purse bait” operation.
The tactic involves placing a purse in a public area and monitoring it in an effort to catch individuals who attempt to steal it rather than turn it in.
Police said plainclothes officers placed a pink-and-purple purse on the casino floor near surveillance teams. At around 10:30 pm, investigators observed a woman, identified as B.L., and a man allegedly communicating through nonverbal gestures before the purse was picked up and placed inside a black backpack.
The pair then exited the casino and were approached by uniformed officers outside the property, according to the report.
Casino Reward Cards and Hotel Room Keys, Among Others
When questioned, L. reportedly denied knowing the man involved and claimed she had intended to locate a casino employee to hand over the purse. However, a subsequent search of her backpack allegedly uncovered a range of suspicious items.
Police said they found methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, 10 credit and debit cards, two Social Security cards, five identification cards, 19 casino rewards cards and 44 hotel room key cards.
Investigators also allege that L. told officers she had found the cards and kept them because she passed information from them to another individual in exchange for drugs or hotel accommodations.
Authorities noted that L. had previous arrests, including a 2023 case involving conspiracy to commit fraud and possession of drug paraphernalia.
She now faces multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit grand larceny, possession of stolen identification documents and possession of stolen debit and credit cards.
Records from the Clark County Detention Center indicate Luke remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court again this week.