Full Notification

After a week long investigation, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office Property Crimes Detectives, with the assistance of the Petaluma Police Department has solved a string of purse theft cases. Detectives arrested Joshua Lenzi, 25 years of age, listed address in Santa Rosa and Mill Valley, along with his girlfriend, Courtney Silliman, 31 years of age, current resident of Vallejo.
On 04/20/2013, Sheriff Detectives began an investigating when a victim had her purse stolen while attending a fund raising event at the Hannah Boys Center. The victim had placed her purse in an office and someone stole it. Soon thereafter the victim's credit card was used at gas station in Vallejo. The next day the suspect attempted to cash one of the victim's stolen / forged checks at a check cashing business in Concord. The suspect used his real ID card and he was identified as Joshua Lenzi.
On 04/21/2013, a lady was shopping at the Lucky's store in Petaluma. She placed her purse in her shopping cart and walked away for just a few seconds to grab an item off a shelf. The suspect grabbed the victim's purse and ran out the door. On 04/23/2013, Petaluma Police Department received a call of three found purses in the parking lot of Comcast. The Petaluma Police Department recovered the Lucky's store victim's purse, the Hannah Boys Center victim's purse, along with a purse belonging to a woman from Vallejo, who had her purse stolen while shopping at the American Canyon Walmart.
Sheriff Detectives were actively searching for Lenzi when he was arrested by the Petaluma PD on Thursday night, 04/25/2013. Lenzi had entered the Petaluma Safeway store and stole a woman's purse from a shopping cart and ran out of the store. Lenzi was chased by a witness who captured him and held him until police arrived. Lenzi was initially arrested for Commercial Burglary and Grand Theft. Lenzi was booked at the county jail and his bail was originally set at $10,000.
Sheriff's Detectives began finding additional purse theft reports that fit Lenzi's MO. Detectives began interviewing witnesses and gathering surveillance video, which ultimately lead to solving a total of six purse theft cases. Lenzi may have committed two additional purse thefts in Santa Rosa Police Department's jurisdiction, which will be followed up by SRPD. Sheriff's Detectives discovered that Lenzi's girlfriend, Courtney Silliman, had participated in two of the purse theft cases. Silliman was arrested yesterday when she showed up in court to see Lenzi's arraignment.
So far Joshua Lenzi has been charged with 3 counts of Commercial Burglary, 2 counts of Grand Theft, Possession of Stolen Property, Check Forgery, and ID Theft. Lenzi's bail was set at $115,000. Courtney Silliman has been charged with Commercial Burglary, Possession of Stolen Property, Conspiracy, and Violation of her Probation. Silliman was on probation from a previous DUI conviction. Silliman's bail was set at $16,000.
Press release prepared by Sgt. Michael Raasch
Sonoma County Sheriff's Office Property Crimes Investigation Unit
(707) 565-2838
Case #130421-001 and #130425-027