Rohnert Park Woman Arrested in North Bay Identity Theft Case
09/02/2013
Rohnert Park Woman Arrested in North Bay Identity Theft Case
The NC3TF received reports from the US Postal Service that 3 suspects have been purchasing American Express Gift cards from various Post Offices throughout the North Bay. The gift cards were all purchased with stolen credit cards. The total loss to the Postal Service is approximately $70,000.00.
Surveillance photos identified the suspects as 2 males and 1 female and some occasions all 3 are seen at the same the same Post Offices together all purchasing American Express gift cards and would typically purchase multiple $100.00 gift cards at a time. The suspects would “swipe” the cards for the sale. The cards would not work and the suspects would then convince the Postal Employee to manually enter the credit card.
This took place for approximately 3 to 4 months. As the fraud was being identified the Post Offices were notified of the 3 suspects. Eventually the female suspect was identified at a post office and the clerk obtained her driver’s license prior to attempting the transaction. The card did not wipe and the suspect left the post office. The clerk then followed the suspect out and obtained the license plate of her vehicle.
Further investigation into this person confirmed that she was in fact the female suspect responsible for other fraudulent charges. Her residence in Rohnert Park was found and a search warrant for the residence was obtained.
Upon service of the search warrant the suspect was arrested at her home. A search of the home revealed a credit card embossing machine; blank credit card stock; a magnetic strip reader/writer; numerous fraudulent credit cards; receipts for the purchase of the American Express gift cards; and a lap top which contained full credit card information for hundreds of victims.
The suspect was interviewed and confessed to the transactions. The suspect also identified the other 2 male suspects. The suspect was released pending further investigation.
The other 2 suspects were identified as living in Santa Rosa and Oakland. The Santa Rosa residence was later searched pursuant to a search warrant. That suspect was interviewed and released pending further investigation. During the interview the suspect did admit to his part in the fraud and also identified the other 2 suspects. The Oakland man was found to be wanted out of Sonoma County for an unrelated Identity Theft case and had since left his last known place of residence.
The case was forwarded to the State Attorney General’s eCrime Unit for prosecution of all 3 suspects.