PORTLAND, Ore. -- Police say a man swiped two students' wallets while they were working at a cafe on Portland Community College's southeast campus, and the theft left the women without important identification cards.

Maggie Chan said she was helping customers at the Crossroads Cafe on Monday at about 7:45 p.m. when she heard the back door slam.

Another student, Jessica Vu, was washing pans in the kitchen sink and noticed someone walking behind her, but said she thought it was a janitor.

Chan said she spotted the thief through the kitchen door. She said the man was Asian and she didn't recognize him.

"I just heard someone slam the door really loud. I just looked and he smiled to me. And he just left," Chan said.

When the women went into the back office a few minutes later, they noticed their wallets and IDs were gone.

"He stole my wallet and inside is my Oregon ID card, also, my Vietnamese ID card and some money and personal stuff in it, too," Vu said.

The women said they can't return home countries -- Hong Kong for Chan and Vietnam for Vu -- without the stolen ID cards.

"I just want to get my ID card back. I don't need my money," Chan said.

The thief used the students' credit cards at McDonalds, a gas station and a bar.

Along with their wallets, the students said they lost a sense of security.

"But things happen and, you know. My wallet was stolen and I feel unsafe for a while," Vu said.

The theft was reported to a campus safety officer and Portland police. Anyone with information is asked to call Portland police.

Thief Swipes Students' Credit Cards, IDs