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Arrests Made In Identity Theft Spree
POSTED: 8:23 pm MST April 8,
2008
CHANDLER, Ariz. -- Two people have been arrested in connection with an identity theft case that began at a LA Fitness center and ended at the victim's home.The woman was identified as Tracie Rasmussen, 21, of Queen Creek.Rasmussen was booked in Maricopa County Jail on charges of theft of a motor vehicle, aggravated identity theft, theft of a credit card, fraudulent use of a credit card, forgery and theft.The man was identified as Randall Combs, 45, of Phoenix. Combs was identified as having a warrant for his arrest and was found to have drugs as well as other people's credit cards in his possession, police said.
He was booked for his warrant and charges are pending for aggravated identity theft.The incident began on Thursday around 6 a.m. when a Chandler woman at a LA Fitness center in Tempe finished her workout and while she went to shower, left her locker unsecured, police said.Rasmussen stole the woman's car keys and when she went to get into the car, found the woman's purse and backpack with credit cards, identifying information and keys to her husband's vehicle, according to officers.By 7 a.m., two of the victim's credit cards had been used to purchase items at a Fry's Grocery Store and Walgreen's, police said.The victim's husband later traced the purchases to the Walgreen's in Scottsdale and obtained a copy of the surveillance footage, investigators said.Tempe police took the initial report of the stolen vehicle, according to police.On Monday around 6:30 a.m., a man and woman knocked on the front door of the victim's home in Chandler, investigators said.When the husband answered the door, the pair claimed to be looking for someone else and left, detectives said.The husband became suspicious and called Chandler police. A patrol officer arrived, checked the area and found the woman hiding at a nearby playground. The man was found about one block away from the home, police said.The victim's stolen backpack was found in the playground equipment, investigators said. Shortly after Rasmussen was detained, the husband recognized Rasmussen as the woman in the surveillance footage using his wife's credit card, police said.Police recovered a handwritten map to the victim's home as well as the keys to the husband's vehicle.In addition, a second map to a potential victim was found as well as two other sets of car keys.At least seven other people's personal information was recovered from Combs and Rasmussen.The woman's stolen vehicle was found in Tempe.The Chandler Police Department is encouraging anyone with information about the case to call 480-782-4130.
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