Mom's bank account drained after purse swiped in daycare line

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A purse theft happened quickly and when a Museum District mom least expected it.

"It was less than five minutes actually," recalled Andrea Karow. She dropped her child for daycare, and a man went through the unlocked back seat to grab her purse in the front seat.

"Brand new handbag, wallet, pen, sunglasses, checkbook, all the essentials, your life," said Karow.

The mom says she immediately called Chase Bank and HPD to freeze her accounts and report the theft. A day later, three withdrawals were made from her account and a few days after that, more withdrawals draining her account of all $8,000, she said.

"You go from this nightmare -- you think it's over and it's really just begun," she said.

HPD is investigating the case and has surveillance video from the daycare showing the theft.

Karow said the man can be seen waiting and watching before committing the crime. The bank has told her they will be issuing a check for her funds lost, but she still wants to know how her account was drained after she called. She says she doesn't want this to happen to anyone else.

"I want people to be aware, be hypervigilant. You just never know -- if something looks off, it probably is. Always lock your car, even if it's five minutes," said Karow.

A Chase Bank spokesperson said the bank is reviewing the incident.