SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — A horrible and despicable crime.
“Of course, we’re angry and disheartened,” Kelly Schultz said.
Scottsdale police are looking for two women accused of preying on one of the Valley’s most vulnerable populations.
Kelly's 33-year-old brother Kyle Schmidt was born with Down syndrome and has been working at the Fry's Signature grocery store near 90th Street and East Shea Boulevard in Scottsdale for 13 years.
On the evening of September 25, she says Kyle was in the store’s parking lot, gathering grocery carts when two women approached him.
"They called him by name, so he turned around and walked up to the two women. They said they needed money for a hotel room,” she said.
Kyle only had three dollars on him at the time but took it out of his wallet to help them. That is when Kelly says the ladies took his wallet.
"He was going to give them the 3 dollars he had, and then they took his wallet and ran off," Kelly said.
Kyle went back into the store shaken, scared, and upset but couldn’t provide many details about the women.
"He couldn't say if they were older than me or younger, but they weren't very young either,” Kelly said.
The worst part, a debit card linked to Kyle’s bank account was also in the wallet.
"By the time they got him home and checked his accounts it was all gone," she said.
She believes the women targeted Kyle because of his disability.
“He was wearing a name tag. They knew what he was doing and they targeted him,” she said.
Schultz is urging other families caring for disabled adults like Kyle to have their guard up.
"Kyle is a vulnerable adult and there are other children and young adults and even older adults that are in these situations. We just don't want this to happen to anyone else," Kelly said.
Since the theft, Schultz says many people have stepped up across the Valley, offering to replace the money that was stolen and to even buy Kyle a wallet.
"I'm really hoping that the police find out what's going on and hopefully we can get some answers," Kelly said.
Still shaken up after the incident, Kyle who says he enjoys being a bagger, plans to avoid going outside at work.
"I’ll probably stay inside, maybe just stay in," Kyle added.
Scottsdale police told 12News they are investigating the crime as theft.
They told 12News there is surveillance video in the case, but so far have not released the video, an image, or even a description of the two women.
Investigators also have not said if they are investigating similar crimes targeting disabled people involving the women.
The family is asking any donations for Kyle be made on behalf of Gigi's Playhouse. A Phoenix non-profit that provides free educational, therapeutic-based, and career development programs for individuals with Down syndrome,
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