LEWISTON — An 80-year-old woman told police Tuesday that a male in his early 20s stole her wallet from her walker inside her apartment building.

Edith Ryder, who lives at Oak Park Apartments at 10 Oak St. said she was in a hallway on the first floor shortly after 2 p.m. pushing her walker when she was confronted by a friendly male who asked: “How are you doing?” He then lifted her wallet from the shelf on her walker where she kept her phone, magazines and other belongings. He moved quickly out a side exit, she said.

“This is just unheard of,” said Jill Child, resident service coordinator at the elderly housing complex.

Ryder said the male was white, had sandy brown hair and wore a white T-shirt, possibly with red writing. He might have been wearing mirrored sunglasses and was between 5 feet, 7 inches tall and 5 feet, 10 inches. He was in his early 20s, but might have been an older teenager, police said. He had a medium build, Ryder said.

Residents of the complex searched the building for a male fitting that description and searched the grounds for Ryder’s wallet.

She said the wallet contained $40 plus an ATM card, her Social Security card, Medicare card and MaineCare card.

Ryder said it was the second time her wallet had been taken. The first time, about 10 years ago, a man pushed her to the sidewalk on Lincoln Street and grabbed her pocketbook when she was outside a variety store where she was getting a sandwich. She never got her pocketbook back, she said.

Police said they were investigating the case and trying to determine how the male entered the secure building. They interviewed people in the building and in neighboring buildings.

In an effort to prevent future thefts at the complex, police are planning to meet with tenants and managers at the building to discuss security, Detective Sgt. Marc Robitaille said.

“It’s up to the tenants to remain vigilant,” he said.

Anyone with information about the theft is asked to call 207-513-3001, extension 3324.

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