A brazen thief who smashed vehicle windows and stole purses from cars in broad daylight at Peachtree City businesses has been caught, thanks to the watchful eye of an off-duty policeman, officials said.

Eugene Coleman, 38, of Aviator Drive, Snellville, was arrested Monday afternoon after Sgt. Matt Myers saw him trying to open two different vehicles in the parking lot of the World Gym on Commerce Drive, said Police Chief James Murray. Myers followed Coleman and used his cell phone to alert other officers, who were able to stop Coleman in Tyrone and make the arrest, Murray said.

Typically, Coleman would smash a vehicle’s window, remove the purse and quickly use credit and debit cards at various nearby businesses, police said. One time he bought several gift cards valued at $150 each, and another time he simply bought gas, police said.

That tactic helped police identify Coleman, who was caught on video making a purchase with the stolen cards, police said. Most of the purchases occurred at the Wal-Mart, Home Depot or Best Buy, and the purses were dumped behind the Wal-Mart, Murray said.

The thefts have occurred since January, many in the World Gym parking lot itself, police said. Other similar thefts have occurred at the Peachtree City Tennis Center and at the Smokey Bones and Taco Mac restaurants, police said.

The incidents stopped for about a five-week period “because he was in the Roswell jail” on a shoplifting charge, Murray said. After Coleman was released from Roswell, the thefts resumed, Murray noted.

When Coleman was stopped Monday afternoon, it was learned that he had an arrest warrant for a theft charge pending from DeKalb County. So far he will face nine entering auto charges and “a slew” of credit card fraud charges just for the Peachtree City incidents, Murray said.

Coleman has an “extensive” arrest record, and was released from prison on parole Dec. 30, according to the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles. Coleman had been imprisoned on a charge of credit card fraud, according to the agency’s records.

Murray lauded the work of Myers, whose alertness led to Coleman’s capture Monday afternoon.

“Matt Myers did a great job,” Murray said, noting that the department had the gym under surveillance for some time though it was unsuccessful. Coleman would change the time of day he would strike, and he also used two different cars to travel in, Murray noted. Both cars were searched during a search warrant executed on Coleman’s Snellville house, Murray said.

Police were attempting to contact Coleman’s parole officer to put a hold on Coleman so he couldn’t be released after posting bond, Murray said.

Murray recommends citizens bring their valuables inside with them, particularly when working out at the gym, and use a combination lock to secure them in a locker. Many times, Coleman would look for purses left in plain view, and he also would watch to see when a potential victim left their car, knowing they wouldn’t be back for quite a while.

Coleman acted quickly to use the various ATM and credit cards, knowing they would be cancelled after the theft, police said.