Lynsie Marion Leinenger
By: Mary Beth Almond | Rochester Post | Published December 16, 2025
ROCHESTER HILLS — An Auburn Hills woman accused of stealing the purses from customers at local grocery stores has been charged with two felonies.
Lynsie Marion Leinenger, 37, was arraigned Dec. 15 in 52-3 District Court, charged with unarmed robbery, a 15-year felony, and larceny from a person, a 10-year felony. She was placed in jail with a $10,000 bond. Her next court date is scheduled for Dec. 23.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the Kroger store at 65 S. Livernois on the report of a larceny at around 8 p.m. Store officials said that Leinenger grabbed a purse from a shopping cart and fled. The purse, which belonged to a 64-year-old woman from Rochester Hills, contained a phone, a wallet, a necklace and prescription medicine.
Shortly after, at around 8:30 p.m., deputies were dispatched to Meijer at 3610 Marketplace Circle for a robbery in progress. Officials said Leinenger grabbed the purse of a 71-year-old woman from Rochester Hills out of a shopping cart and ran to the back of the store. The victim chased Leinenger, knocked her down with a shopping cart, and the two women wrestled over the purse. According to reports, Leinenger again snatched it from the victim and began running towards the front of the store, where she fell, injured her knee and was arrested.
Leinenger has prior convictions for home invasion and uttering and publishing, according to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said this is “a sad reminder” that there are individuals who “seek to prey on others — particularly the elderly — during the holiday season.”
“We urge everyone to remain situationally aware, and we specifically encourage women to keep a close watch on their purses and never leave them unattended in shopping carts. We look forward to this suspect being held fully accountable,” Bouchard said in a statement.
Leinenger did not have an attorney on file at press time.