Alleged Purse Thief Accused of Stealing From Apple Valley Restaurant Employees

A Minneapolis woman faces a felony charge after police say she allegedly stole purses—which, with the contents inside, are worth almost $3,000—from employees of an Apple Valley restaurant who were working at the time.

Demita Layna Loyd, 32, is charged in Dakota County with theft, the maximum penalty for which is five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

According to the criminal complaint, three Apple Valley restaurant employees reported to that her purses were stolen from a shelf while they were working the evening of Oct. 3.

They told police that they allegedly saw a man and a woman take the purses and run out the side doors of the restaurant, the complaint says. Video footage allegedly shows a man and a woman seated near the side doors, and then shows the woman going through the purses and exiting the restaurant with the man, according to the complaint.

One employee told police she recognized the man and woman as customers she had had at a different restaurant, the complaint says.

Police identified Loyd as a suspect, and one of the alleged victims identified Loyd in a photo lineup, the complaint says.

Later in the month, Loyd was being held in Hennepin County Jail on unrelated charges, when she agreed to speak with police about the alleged thefts, according to the complaint.

She allegedly told police she was not involved in thefts and did not use any of the alleged victims' credit cards.

The estimated value of each purse and its contents is:

• $880 for purse, cell phone and cash
• $205 for purse, cell phone and wallet
• $1,900 for purse, cell phone, wallet, cash, camera and makeup