Authorities Ask Public For Help in Tracking Down Identity Thieves

Authorities asked the public today for help in identifying a pair of crooks who stole a woman's identity and used it to charge about $35,000 worth of merchandise at various San Diego-area stores.

The thieves opened 10 fraudulent credit-card accounts in the victim's name last month and used them to fund their illicit buying spree at clothing, jewelry and home-furnishing retail outlets across the county, said La Mesa police Lt. Matt Nicholass.

The bandits are described as a roughly 5-foot-5-inch, 230-pound black woman with straight, shoulder-length hair and a tattoo on the left side of her chest; and a 5-foot-9-inch, 215-pound black man with a ponytail, Nicholass said.

The pair is believed to be traveling in a green 1999 Mercedes-Benz ML320 SUV, California license number 5VPH808.

Anyone with information about the case was asked to call San Diego County Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477 or contact the agency online at sdcrimestoppers.com. Tipsters may remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

-- City News Service