Three people have been charged in connection with more than a dozen purse snatchings — mostly from elderly victims — at supermarkets throughout San Diego and National City, prosecutors announced Monday.

Prosecutors say 15 victims were targeted between January and April, typically while they were leaving stores and walking to their cars.

The majority of the victims were Asian women between the ages of 64 and 89, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

Prosecutors said the suspects would wait until victims placed their purses inside their vehicles while loading groceries, then pull up in their own vehicle, snatch the purse and flee.

In most cases, the victims’ credit cards were used by the defendants, and the victims’ personal items were pawned off.

“While the value of the stolen property may not always include a large amount of money, the emotional impact to these victims is often significant,” the District Attorney’s Office said.

All three defendants are currently in county jail and face charges that include theft from an elder, robbery, burglary and conspiracy to commit elder theft. They have pleaded not guilty in separate arraignments last week and on Monday.