Ladies,
I just returned from a business dinner at Maggianno's downtown where my colleague's wallet was stolen - from either her purse or the table. There were lots of us around, and in hindsight, we figured out what must have happened. A group of three people sat at a booth, then moved to the table just next to us. They looked at a menu and then quickly left without ordering or saying anything to the wait staff. She got a mobile fraud alert from Bank of America within 10 minutes of realizing that the wallet was gone. The police officer said this is the typical case. With the economy and holidays, now is the prime time for thieves.
Just wanted to put a word of caution out to make sure to keep your eye on your belongings. Don't leave your purse open/unzipped - and if you're going to hang it on the back of your chair, make sure it's covered with your coat.