Unfortunately, this is true and it happened in Christiansburg. Heard not through a police warning to the community, the story comes from a companion who was with the victim when the theft occurred:
"My friend had her wallet stolen from her purse today, either at Panera Bread or Best Buy. She doesn't think she zipped the purse after buying her lunch at Panera. That shouldn't matter.
"There were two men sitting at the next table to ours, who moved their table close to ours. Looking back, that seemed strange. Now, I'm not sure.
"While shopping at Best Buy, my friend felt someone "too close" but didn't turn around to look. When she went to pay for her purchase she discovered the wallet missing.
"Within an hour, $5000 of cash advances were drawn on credit card accounts. A fake license with her picture and an out of town address was used for ID for a cash advance at NBB. The perp made a fake license that fast!!"
A cautionary tale to warn us not to be complacent in our hometown, especially seeing how quickly money can be drained by opportunists who visit the region's retail hub for just this purpose. Pretend you're traveling abroad, and take only one piece of plastic with you while keeping your "bona fides" on your person at all times!