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The story behind a purse snatching: $10K, a mother’s love, a daughter’s dream She cleaned houses to save $10,000 for her daughter's college tuition. Then it was stolen.
(about 20 hours later)
Maria Candida Esteves always had one simple message for her children.Maria Candida Esteves always had one simple message for her children.
“Don’t steal,” Esteves, 51, recalled in a recent interview. “When you need something, you ask for it.”“Don’t steal,” Esteves, 51, recalled in a recent interview. “When you need something, you ask for it.”
Now Fairfax County police say the mother of two has found herself the victim of a galling theft: Someone stole $10,000 in cash that she had set aside for her daughter’s college tuition. After weeks of investigation, the thief — who was seen on surveillance video — has yet to be caught.Now Fairfax County police say the mother of two has found herself the victim of a galling theft: Someone stole $10,000 in cash that she had set aside for her daughter’s college tuition. After weeks of investigation, the thief — who was seen on surveillance video — has yet to be caught.
Investigators say it happened around 11:50 a.m. Jan 10. Esteves said it is family tradition: Every Sunday the family goes to a Dunkin’ Donuts in Falls Church. And even though Esteves and her husband were taking their daughter back to Penn State University, that Sunday was no different.Investigators say it happened around 11:50 a.m. Jan 10. Esteves said it is family tradition: Every Sunday the family goes to a Dunkin’ Donuts in Falls Church. And even though Esteves and her husband were taking their daughter back to Penn State University, that Sunday was no different.
They stopped; they ate. They didn’t sit at their usual table, but all seemed well when they piled in their car packed with college supplies.They stopped; they ate. They didn’t sit at their usual table, but all seemed well when they piled in their car packed with college supplies.
That was until Esteves looked down at her feet and didn’t see her purse. She said she asked her 18-year-old daughter to check the back seat. It wasn’t there.That was until Esteves looked down at her feet and didn’t see her purse. She said she asked her 18-year-old daughter to check the back seat. It wasn’t there.
The family turned the car around. A traffic light took long to change, Esteves said, and her husband ran out of the car onto Arlington Boulevard and into the store.The family turned the car around. A traffic light took long to change, Esteves said, and her husband ran out of the car onto Arlington Boulevard and into the store.
Esteves’s purse — which she said held a bank envelope with “Liliana’s Tuition” scrawled on it — was no longer hanging on a chair near the door.Esteves’s purse — which she said held a bank envelope with “Liliana’s Tuition” scrawled on it — was no longer hanging on a chair near the door.
Officer Roger Henriquez, a Fairfax County police spokesman, said there’s clear video of what happened after the family left.Officer Roger Henriquez, a Fairfax County police spokesman, said there’s clear video of what happened after the family left.
A woman sitting in the doughnut shop looked to her right and spotted Esteves’s unattended purse. She turned around and then looked up and toward the counter. She gathered her coffee and her own purse, walked over to the unattended purse and peeked inside.A woman sitting in the doughnut shop looked to her right and spotted Esteves’s unattended purse. She turned around and then looked up and toward the counter. She gathered her coffee and her own purse, walked over to the unattended purse and peeked inside.
The woman walked more, tossed something in the trash and then tucked Esteves’s purse inside her own before walking out the door.The woman walked more, tossed something in the trash and then tucked Esteves’s purse inside her own before walking out the door.
Purse snatchings are, unfortunately, common in the county, Henriquez said.Purse snatchings are, unfortunately, common in the county, Henriquez said.
“It’s usually a situation of opportunity,” he said. “All it takes is three or four seconds to be distracted.”“It’s usually a situation of opportunity,” he said. “All it takes is three or four seconds to be distracted.”
“The lady that did the crime grabbed it, and it was her lucky day: $10,000 in cash,” Henriquez added.“The lady that did the crime grabbed it, and it was her lucky day: $10,000 in cash,” Henriquez added.
But it has been painful for Esteves, who has worked cleaning houses each day — except Sunday — for more than 25 years. She said she socked away much of what she earned for her children’s education.But it has been painful for Esteves, who has worked cleaning houses each day — except Sunday — for more than 25 years. She said she socked away much of what she earned for her children’s education.
“Cleaning floors on my knees — that’s the way I worked,” she said. “And it’s okay to work. I don’t feel bad about my work at all — I’m not complaining. I’m just complaining that she stole my money.”“Cleaning floors on my knees — that’s the way I worked,” she said. “And it’s okay to work. I don’t feel bad about my work at all — I’m not complaining. I’m just complaining that she stole my money.”
[Teenager’s college tuition money stolen from purse at doughnut shop in Fairfax area][Teenager’s college tuition money stolen from purse at doughnut shop in Fairfax area]
Because Esteves had been saving over time, the family was able to pull together the money to pay the spring tuition. The Esteves’s daughter is now hoping they get lucky and someone notices the purse snatcher.Because Esteves had been saving over time, the family was able to pull together the money to pay the spring tuition. The Esteves’s daughter is now hoping they get lucky and someone notices the purse snatcher.
“I don’t know her. I don’t know her life. I don’t know what she’s been through. I don’t know her struggles,” said Candida Liliana Ferrufino Esteves, also known as Lili to family, of the mystery woman. “But it’s safe to say she got a glimpse into our struggles. And for someone to, like, take something that’s not yours and for someone to see something that clearly says — “Lili’s tuition” — I can’t, like, process it through my brain.“I don’t know her. I don’t know her life. I don’t know what she’s been through. I don’t know her struggles,” said Candida Liliana Ferrufino Esteves, also known as Lili to family, of the mystery woman. “But it’s safe to say she got a glimpse into our struggles. And for someone to, like, take something that’s not yours and for someone to see something that clearly says — “Lili’s tuition” — I can’t, like, process it through my brain.
“It’s another layer of wrong.”“It’s another layer of wrong.”
The younger Esteves is a freshman and pre-med major at Penn State University. Her mother immigrated from Portugal, her father from Bolivia. A saying her dad once sent her, which loosely translated to “the pencil weighs less than the shovel,” inspired her to go to college.The younger Esteves is a freshman and pre-med major at Penn State University. Her mother immigrated from Portugal, her father from Bolivia. A saying her dad once sent her, which loosely translated to “the pencil weighs less than the shovel,” inspired her to go to college.
“They worked their whole lives their lives for me and my brother to never know what they go through — that pain,“ she said. “When it came to education, my parents never said ‘You can’t go too far, you can’t do this.’ ”“They worked their whole lives their lives for me and my brother to never know what they go through — that pain,“ she said. “When it came to education, my parents never said ‘You can’t go too far, you can’t do this.’ ”
She said the money was taken from her and her family. What’s left behind is the guilt.She said the money was taken from her and her family. What’s left behind is the guilt.
Fifty-one-year-old Esteves has cried every day.Fifty-one-year-old Esteves has cried every day.
“I wanted to have the money to provide for them later on, and then this happened, and it made me feel helpless,” she said. “It’s money I earned with all my hard work and time away from my kids that I could be with them. Why work so hard if this happens?”“I wanted to have the money to provide for them later on, and then this happened, and it made me feel helpless,” she said. “It’s money I earned with all my hard work and time away from my kids that I could be with them. Why work so hard if this happens?”
“It was my fault that I left that purse there,” she added during a recent interview at her Fairfax County home.“It was my fault that I left that purse there,” she added during a recent interview at her Fairfax County home.
She studied her daughter’s face on a nearby tablet screen. “No, Mom,” shot back her 18-year-old, who was listening in on a video call.She studied her daughter’s face on a nearby tablet screen. “No, Mom,” shot back her 18-year-old, who was listening in on a video call.
The teen said an officer promised they would find the purse snatcher. And Henriquez said investigators think the case will be solved when someone recognizes the suspect and tips off police.The teen said an officer promised they would find the purse snatcher. And Henriquez said investigators think the case will be solved when someone recognizes the suspect and tips off police.
The mystery woman left the doughnut shop in a dark-colored SUV. Authorities said they think the vehicle was a 2009 to 2011 Mitsubishi Endeavor.The mystery woman left the doughnut shop in a dark-colored SUV. Authorities said they think the vehicle was a 2009 to 2011 Mitsubishi Endeavor.
Henriquez, who added that police have no new developments, said he hopes the purse snatcher puts herself in the shoes of the woman she stole from.Henriquez, who added that police have no new developments, said he hopes the purse snatcher puts herself in the shoes of the woman she stole from.
“If it was you, would you want this person caught?”“If it was you, would you want this person caught?”