Detectives with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department are seeking the public’s help in capturing a man and woman suspected of using a stolen credit card to buy thousands of dollars worth of merchandise in less than an hour.
On Monday, April 19, a 60-year old woman discovered her wallet had disappeared between 4:15 p.m. and 5 p.m. while she was visiting a store at the Camino Real Marketplace in Goleta.
When she contacted her bank and credit card companies shortly after, she was informed that one of her credit cards had already been used to buy more than $4,000 worth of computer equipment at the nearby Best Buy.
She also learned that someone had used the same card to buy more than $2,000 worth of computer equipment at the Apple Store in Santa Barbara.
Both transactions occurred between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. that day.
A sheriff’s deputy, initially investigating the case, obtained surveillance photos from Best Buy showing a man and woman purchasing the computer equipment with the stolen credit card.
Sheriff’s detectives are releasing the images in the hope that someone recognizes either person in the photos.
Anyone with information is urged to call sheriff’s detectives at 805.681.4150 or the Sheriff’s Anonymous Tip Line at 805.681.4171.
— Drew Sugars is a public information officer with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.