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| Danielle Araica |
(Scroll down for video) A strange thief is on the loose at the beach, according to eyewitnesses in Florida.
If you plan on going to Bunche Beach in Fort Myers, keep an eye on your belongings. One woman had her purse stolen while on the beach Monday, not by a person, but by a raccoon.
People were at the beach in order to watch as a Kemp Ridley sea turtle named Tampa Red was sent back to its home. Dozens of people like Danielle Araica came to see the event.
"I wanted to have a pleasant experience with my children and all this chaos happened," Danielle Araica said.
The Fort Myers woman and her two daughters were in the water when she had an unexpected encounter.
"I saw the raccoon taking my bag, so I started running like a crazy woman," Araica said.
The furry bandit took off with her bright pink wallet.
"It took the purse in its mouth and ran into the bushes, so I was praying that it drop my wallet," Araica said.
Araica said the thief eventually dropped her wallet in the woods and a boy went to look for it.
"The purse has some scratches and holes right now, but the main thing is that I have it back," Araica said.
We saw a raccoon running around the brush near the beach. It quickly ran away from the cameras and disappeared into the woods.
"It knew what it wanted. The purse was right there and it got it," Araica said.
The experience has left Araica wondering why the raccoon took off with her purse. All she had in her purse was sunscreen, clothes and towels. No food.