WFAA-TV

Police believe this surveillance photo shows the suspect's vehicle.

DALLAS - Police said they now believe a group of men who violently robbed a North Texas teacher are experienced criminals.

Armed with new surveillance pictures of the SUV they said the suspects drove off in after snatching Sheryl Walsh's purse and leaving her behind badly beaten, police said another victim has come forward.

Sources told News 8 that robbery detectives have linked the case of Walsh to another purse snatching that also took place at a grocery store several days before the teacher attack.

In the second case, the victim said she had just finished shopping at a store located at Mockingbird Lane and Abrams Road when she said she put her purse in the front seat of her car. She said she then went to return her basket, and within less than ten seconds, men sitting in a car right in front of her swiped her purse.

"It was very freighting to me to know [that] somebody was watching my every move," she said.

Family photo

Sheryl Walsh

The victim said she is still shaken by how close she came to the same men police said they believe later attacked Walsh, who suffered a severe head wound that landed her in the hospital.

"I feel fortunate," she said. "I feel sad in her situation, and relieved it didn't happen to me."

Surveillance pictures taken on November 9 at the Tom Thumb parking lot at Preston Road and Beltline Road, which was where Walsh was attacked, show the same black GMC Envoy that sources said was used five days earlier in the other purse snatching. Police are warning women to be on the lookout in grocery store and shopping center parking lots.

"You have to look at the time of year we are in, the holiday season," said Sr. Cpl. Janice Crowther, Dallas Police Department.

Crowther said during the holidays, crooks tend to step up their game in search of targets.

Police said over the past weekend, four other purse snatchings occurred near or on grocery store parking lots. In at least one case, the victim was hurt after not letting go of her purse.

Police so far have only connected two cases and don't believe the ones that happened during the weekend are connected to the Walsh case.

Police plan to release new surveillance photos Monday in hopes it will lead them to information on the suspects.