SAN JOSE — Police have arrested a trio suspected of at least nine drive-by purse snatchings targeting Asian women in shopping-center parking lots throughout the city, in some cases seriously injuring the victims after they were dragged by the getaway car.

Robbery detectives with the San Jose Police Department believe there could be more victims who might not have come forward because they were able to get away, or were targeted in other cities, Sgt. Enrique Garcia said.

Santos Thompson, 21, Carissa Martinez, 26, and Anthony Macias, 36, all from San Jose, are in Santa Clara County jails on suspicion of offenses that include robbery and causing great bodily injury, according to police.

Detectives allege all three carried out a scheme between November 2016 and this January where they would steal a car, then circle parking lots of shopping-centers located across the city looking for Asian women who were walking by themselves.

At least two of the three were always present in the stolen car — believed to be a different one in each instance — when they pulled up and grabbed the victims’ purses, and sped away. In multiple encounters, women were dragged when the suspects could not cleanly take their purses away, police said.

Nine women came forward separately to report the robberies, and detectives matched the common characteristics between their cases. They also tracked activity on the stolen credit cards of the victims, and through surveillance and follow-up investigation identified the three suspects.

Macias was the first to be arrested, by the Covert Response Unit on Jan. 19 near South Almaden Boulevard and Balbach Street in Downtown San Jose. The unit arrested Thompson and Martinez on Tuesday near Fontaine Road and Flanigan Drive in East San Jose.

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Garcia said police found property with the suspects that have not been matched with any known victims, leading detectives to believe there are additional victims.

He added that the case reinforces the importance of residents and shoppers to be aware of their surroundings, and that if they observe suspicious activity — like a car circling a lot without parking even when there are available spaces — to call 911. He also advised walking in pairs whenever possible.

Anyone who believes they might have been victims of these suspects or has information about the case can contact Detective Michael White at 408-277-4166 or leave a tip with Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers at 408-947-STOP or at svcrimestoppers.org.