A theft from a parked car happened Monday morning outside of the Seventh Avenue Sheetz. Mirror photo by Colette Costlow

A theft from a car parked outside the Seventh Street Sheetz on Monday morning resulted in Stay Put Alerts issues to nearby Altoona Area School District facilities.

The call to the 911 dispatch center originally was for an armed robbery at the Sheetz store, but as more information became available, police reported the incident as a theft.

According to Altoona Officer Dusten Thompson, the victim left her unlocked car idling while she went into the convenience store. The suspect then walked outside the store and entered the car to take the victim’s purse about 10:36 a.m.

Because the victim’s car could be seen through the dining room windows, witnesses watched the suspect enter the car and alerted the victim, Thompson said. Two or three individuals — including the victim — ran after the suspect, who dropped the victim’s phone while running past the store.

Altoona police recovered the victim’s purse, also discarded, although the victim’s cash was missing.

The Stay Put Alerts were lifted at 10:51 a.m. from the Altoona Area School District facilities, the Greater Altoona Career & Technical Center and the Altoona Public Library.

About 12:30 p.m., officers spotted an individual who matched the suspect’s description near the Jaffa Shrine Center and took that person into custody as part of the investigation, according to Altoona police.

Thompson said customers shouldn’t leave their vehicles running and unlocked, even for a minute.

Mirror Staff Writer Colette Costlow is at 814-946-7414.