SAN ANTONIO — **UPDATE 7/29
Kym's Kloset store owner Pam Allen says the purse was returned on Monday.
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A local nonprofit that works to give back to the community was the target of a theft earlier this month.
San Antonio Police are investigating the incident at Kym's Kloset, where video surveillance caught someone switching the tag on a $300 purse, and paying a whole lot less.
The store's owner, Pam Allen, says instead of pressing charges she wants to show compassion.
"It's not just taking from Kym's Kloset, it's taking from the community as well, so that part is a bit offensive when you're taking the ability to serve from our community," said Allen.
Kym's Kloset is located at 8513 Blanco Road, near West Avenue on the city's north-side. The clothing resale store operates as a nonprofit. All proceeds go to Eagle's Flight Advocacy.
"All of that goes back into the community, whether it be food for family in crisis, whether it be diapers for a child in need or formula, whether it be for a burial or whether it be for a woman fleeing domestic violence that needs our assistance," said Allen.
Allen says while doing inventory they noticed a purse was missing. One of their workers said she remembered selling it.
"So we went back to our cameras and back to details on our receipts, and we did see that it was sold, but it was sold for an incredibly lower price than what it was marked," she said.
Allen says the theft happened on July 20, when she says surveillance video captured a woman switching the price tag on a purse.
Allen says two women walked into the store and one of them switched the tag on a purple snakeskin purse. She says the purse was marked at $299 but has a retail value of nearly $700.
"She walked around with the person, removed a tag which is easy to come off of the plastic. Once she did that, she found our purse on the floor that was $299, tore that off and replaced it with one of these," said Allen.
Allen says the woman ended up paying about $7. The theft is frustrating for Allen because she says as a nonprofit, they struggle just like any other small business. Allen says her goal is not to put this person in jail. Instead, she wants to show compassion.
"Do we want to get that merchandise back? Yeah that would be nice too.," she said. "What we're hoping for is that this person would have a change of heart, and change this direction that they're going in before they end up in some big trouble."
KENS 5 asked Allen if she had any words for the woman seen in the video.
"Please don't go down this road. This is not a very good place to be, where you feel like you need to take from others and the next person that you take from may not be as willing to forgive as we are," she said.
If you know the identity of the woman in the video, the owner says she doesn't want you to call police. Instead, she wants to hear from you. You can reach her at Kym's Kloset at (210) 253-9191.