Metro Birmingham - Crime Stoppers needs anonymous tips to help identify a woman accused of lifting victims' credit cards while they drank at a bar in Trussville.  Also, police need to identify two people accused of using credit cards that were stolen at UAB.

Anyone with information on either case is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (205) 254-7777.  Callers are given code numbers when they provide tips, meaning they never have to give their own names.  If an arrest is made based on a caller's tip, that caller can use his or her code number to claim a cash reward.

Also, encrypted tips can be submitted by logging onto www.birminghamcrimestoppers.org and clicking on the "submit an online tip" link.

Happy Hour Heist:  It was just before 10:00 p.m. Saturday night when a woman started hanging out behind bar patrons at Costa's in Trussville.  Detectives say the woman began making smalltalk.  She said she was 62 years old, retired, and enjoying a night out.

Surveillance video shows her interacting with people sitting at the bar as they watched TV.  But it was apparently all part of her scam.  Police say she was stealing people's wallets while the victims were distracted.

"She's so smooth about it," said Lieutenant Bill Musgrove.  "She's making conversation.  She's drinking her beverage with them.  She's patting them on the back.  And the right hand is down in the purse, and nobody's paying attention."

Musgrove said three people were victimized.  The customers had no idea what had happened until it was time for them to pay their tabs, and they realized their wallets were gone.

The woman had apparently taken the credit cards she wanted out of the wallets and discarded what was left right there at the restaurant.  Within moments, Musgrove said, she was using one of the stolen cards to get gas at a service station across the street.

Crime Stoppers hopes someone can recognize the woman from the video attached to this article.  A reward is waiting for the first anonymous caller whose tip leads to the suspect's arrest.  Police simply need to know who, or where, she is.

UAB Credit Card Theft:  Police say a man and woman used stolen credit cards at stores around Birmingham and Homewood on September 17.  And one of the suspects apparently used a stolen ATM card at Children's Hospital.  The cards were all stolen earlier in the day from offices on the UAB campus, police said.

Surveillance video attached to this article shows the man accused of stealing the cards as he walked through different buildings on campus.  The man was well-dressed in suit pants, a collared shirt, and a vest.  The same man is seen on additional videos from Wal-Mart and CVS stores as he was allegedly using the stolen cards.

"Someone out there is going to recognize this guy and be able to give us a call and say, 'I know him,'" said Sergeant James Lewis.  "All we need is for you to give us the information on him.  We'll never need to know who you are."

In addition to the male suspect, a woman is also seen on surveillance video, allegedly using one of the stolen cards.  While the man and woman did not act as though they knew each other, police said anyone who recognizes one of the suspects will probably be able to recognize the other.

The case also carries a warning to anyone committing a crime at UAB:  You will be recorded.  And you just might end up on Crime Stoppers.

"They're letting everybody know that there are cameras in all of the buildings," Lewis added.  "And once this guy is caught, he will be prosecuted."

As in all Crime Stoppers cases:  Callers remain anonymous.  Code numbers are assigned to anyone providing a tip.  And if that tip is the first to lead to an arrest, the caller uses the code number to claim a cash reward.

Crime Stoppers is a partnership between local law enforcement, the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce and ABC 33/40.  Together, our goal is to make our community a safer place to live and work.

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