A man has been arrested for stealing money from a woman while distracting her about an issue with her car in Suffolk County.

The victim was returning to her vehicle after shopping when the man approached her to say she had a flat tire and he would help her fill it, according to police.

Peter Cordero, 55, of North Babylon, told the woman to look for a jack in her trunk and then took the opportunity to steal money from her purse inside the car.

Officers believe Cordero deflated the tire before she returned.

The incident happened in a parking lot on Montauk Highway in West Babylon around 3 p.m. on Wednesday.

Suffolk police is asking anyone who thinks they may also have been a victim of Cordero to call the First Precinct Crime Section at 631-854- 8130.

He will be charged with petit larceny and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle at his arraignment on Friday.