My Stolen Wallet

My wallet got stolen yesterday :( It was only by quick thinking and impeccable timing that I was able to get it back without any loss...

I was in the need of some retail therapy and mom had a coupon so we went to Kohl's. Well there we are in the dressing room trying on our picks. Now I never carry a purse anymore because of how heavy it gets, so I just have my little wristlet wallet. While I was trying on clothes, I placed it on the bench under my jeans and tee.
There was one particular dress I really liked and wanted to show mom who was a couple stalls down. So I go to her stall for a couple minutes discussing the potential of this dress. After about 3 minutes, I remember my wallet and tell her I need to get back since I left it unaccompanied. When I walk into my stall, my clothes and car keys are there but my wallet is gone O_O
Panic immediately sets in! I shout to mom that it is gone and I ask the changing room attendant if she saw it or anyone grab it, which she did not. But she goes to start asking at the registers and customer service. I am panicking and looking around the store but there aren't that many people and I don't know where to start. Meanwhile I am still in that dress carrying my jeans, tee and keys in my arms.
It was mom who remembered that I keep my phone in a zippered pouch in my wallet and handed me hers to start calling it.
I go over towards one lady who I knew was in the dressing room with us to see if I hear my phone ring, mom took off for the front of the store.
And that's when she hears a phone continue ringing inside a lady's purse who is checking out at the register. She calls me over because she doesn't want to accuse the lady of stealing since she wasn't sure of my ringtone. The phone had stopped ringing, but I redialed and proceed to stand 2 feet in front of the woman and wait until I heard it. It was muffled so I couldn't tell for sure it was mine, but she made no effort to answer it. Now we are staring eye to eye and I ask her "Is that your phone ringing?" She then proceeds to pull MY wallet out of her purse and say "I was about to take it to Mcallen PD because you know you can never trust anybody these days." I immediately snatched it from her and checked to make sure all my cards were still there since it was unsnapped and open. I assume she looked for cash but I had given all mine to Luke the night before. (Thanks Honey!)
Here are the many reasons I know she was stealing it and lying about going to the Police with it:

1. She didn't just happen to find it. She walked into my dressing room, lifted up my clothes and looked for it. Probably because she was in a neighboring stall and had heard that I was distracted and left my stuff unoccupied.
2. The dressing room attendant had heard the phone ringing too by the register and went up to the cashier and asked if anyone had turned in a wallet and phone. This lady was right there but didn't offer to disclose that she had "found" a lost wallet at this point.
3. She had opened my wallet and seen my Photo ID which is in a clear sleeve right in front. She knew who I was as I was walking around the store but never approached me to give it back and waited until I called her out on having my phone before doing so.
4. Why would she go across town to the police department when she could have simply gone to costumer service and had them page me since again she had my Photo ID and name?

I regret that I did not press charges and let her go. I wish I would have at least thought to take a photo of her and broadcast it all over social networks identifying her as a thief. But in the moment I was so relieved we had gotten my wallet back and I didn't have the words or all the puzzle pieces to outrightly accuse her of stealing it as opposed to her claim.
I still can't believe I was 30 seconds away from losing my wallet forever and I have definitely learned my lesson about not letting it leave my grasp even for one second!