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72-year-old Highlands Ranch woman has purse stolen from home after Facebook Marketplace encounter

Suspected thief caught on doorbell camera; police report filed
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HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. -- A 72-year-old Highlands Ranch woman says she's lost her faith in people.

A woman Naomi Takase met on Facebook Marketplace last week allegedly stole her purse from her home.

“I just wanted to say, 'why?' Why would you do that to me as much as I trusted you?” Takase said.

Takase told Denver7 she bought a daybed from a woman named Stephanie Wells. Wells and another woman dropped off the pieces to the bed on February 20. Takase thought Wells was very friendly and welcomed her into her home without hesitation.

The 72-year-old Takase asked Wells for help in putting the bed together. Wells agreed to come back four days later for a small fee of $15. Minutes after Wells arrived, Takase said the woman asked her to grab a hammer from the garage.

When Takase came back inside to give Wells the hammer, she was gone. Takase said she had no idea why the woman left so abruptly. It took about three hours before Takase realized her purse, sitting on the kitchen counter, was stolen.

“I had $80 plus in there and then I had over $400 in gift cards,” Takase said, detailing some of the contents in the purse.

A week later, the purse has not been returned, the person responsible has not been caught, and the daybed she purchased has not been assembled. Takase told Denver7 she plans to sell it because it reminds her of the painful experience.

Takase, who also said she filed a police report, said she's afraid.

“Now I feel I can’t trust anybody now,” Takase said. “iIt’s fear. I do have a fear."

Denver7 confirmed with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office that Takase, did, in fact, file a police report.