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DRAPER — Much like retail, the business of selling memories gets busy during the holiday season, which is likely why FotoFly photographer Ashley Martin said she didn't think much about a woman who was hanging around the front lobby alone.
"She was on her phone, kind of like not really saying anything to us," Martin said.
But only minutes later, the woman was gone, along with Martin's purse and 2013 Volkswagen Jetta. Surveillance video from inside the FotoFly studio shows the woman walking into a back room and looking around briefly before grabbing a purse.
Another photographer, Dri Marshall, had noticed the woman in the front lobby, too. She was surprised her co-worker could become a victim so easily and quickly.
"She is the kindest person," Marshall said of Martin. "And right before Christmas something like this happens; it's just hearbreaking."
In addition to her car keys, Martin said she had about a week's worth of tips inside her purse.
"That was kind of hard," Martin said. "Because that probably was like a whole week of working, like half of the work you did is gone."
Surveillance video of the crime was shared nearly a thousand times on Facebook at the writing of this article. Martin said that post and comments on the FotoFly page have brought a sort of silverlining to the incident.
"I think it shows that there are way more good people than there are bad people," Martin said. "And that's just something great that I can learn from this."
Martin's Red 2013 Martin Jetta, license number E93 9GU has been listed as stolen in a national law enforcement database.
Draper police are seeking information from anyone who might be able to identify the woman seen in the surveillance video.
