SILENT WITNESS

Woman accused of multiple instances of identity theft in Phoenix area

May 28, 2018, 5:00 AM | Updated: 12:19 pm

...

This woman accused of identity fraud certainly doesn’t look like a thief.

“She looks like a school teacher, a mom…she looks like an average citizen,” said Phoenix Police Sgt. Darren Burch.

Yet she committed three crimes on three consecutive days between Feb. 19 and Feb. 21, 2013. She used someone else’s California driver’s license to access their bank accounts and take out thousands of dollars.

The first two days she targeted Wells Fargo banks, one in Mesa, the other in east Phoenix. On the third day she went to Scottsdale.

“This time she opened a Nordstrom’s credit card,” said Burch.

And she went on a shopping spree buying $4,000 worth of merchandise.

If you want to avoid being the victim of identity theft, Burch said you need to keep a close eye on your bank statements.

“Especially if you see a $1.00 withdrawal. Many times these criminals will do a $1.00 withdrawal to see if it’s an active account and if it works, they hit the next day. It’s their way of ‘casing’ the account, so to speak.”

To read more about this case, click here.

Silent Witness

(Facebook Photo/Phoenix Police Department)...

Jayme West

Phoenix police looking for suspects in separate 2016 aggravated robberies

Phoenix police are looking for suspects in two separate cases -- a robbery and an assault.

1 day ago

Picture of the Mitsubishi Montero that Phoenix police suspect hit an 11-year-old girl in a crosswal...

Damon Allred

Hit-and-run suspect sought in Phoenix after injuring child walking in crosswalk

Officers are searching for a hit-and-run suspect who hit an 11-year-old girl walking in a school crosswalk on Friday, Phoenix PD said.

11 days ago

26th Street and Camelback Road, where an e-scooter rider was struck and killed by an unknown suspec...

Damon Allred

Suspect sought in fatal hit-and-run of e-scooter rider in Phoenix

Detectives are searching for the suspect of a hit-and-run that killed a man riding an e-scooter in Phoenix on Wednesday.

18 days ago

Robbin Burgette and crime lab....

Jayme West

Phoenix cold case: Decades after teen murdered at home, police are still searching for answers

It's been more than 46 years since a 16-year-old girl was killed in her family's Phoenix duplex, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions that continue to haunt both her loved ones and the detectives tasked with solving the case. 

20 days ago

David Santiago was killed after partying at a club in 2012.(Silent Witness and Pexels photos)...

Jayme West

Phoenix police looking for suspects in 2012 death of young man at club

It's been over 11 years since a Valley mom has tried to piece together who killed her son while he was out partying at a club. 

29 days ago

(Silent Witness photos)...

Jayme West

Unsolved mystery: Young woman fatally shot in Phoenix parking lot in 2011

Phoenix Police are seeking help from the public in reinvigorating a cold homicide case from 2011.

1 month ago

Sponsored Articles

...

DESERT INSTITUTE FOR SPINE CARE

Desert Institute for Spine Care is the place for weekend warriors to fix their back pain

Spring has sprung and nothing is better than March in Arizona. The temperatures are perfect and with the beautiful weather, Arizona has become a hotbed for hikers, runners, golfers, pickleball players and all types of weekend warriors.

...

COLLINS COMFORT MASTERS

Here are 5 things Arizona residents need to know about their HVAC system

It's warming back up in the Valley, which means it's time to think about your air conditioning system's preparedness for summer.

(KTAR News Graphic)...

Boys & Girls Clubs

KTAR launches online holiday auction benefitting Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley

KTAR is teaming up with The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley for a holiday auction benefitting thousands of Valley kids.

Woman accused of multiple instances of identity theft in Phoenix area