Woman Trying To Withdraw Thousands Of Dollars Arrested In Suspected Bank Fraud

PETALUMA, CA — A woman who tried to withdraw several thousand dollars from another person’s Chase Bank account using the account holder’s driver’s license was arrested in Petaluma.

Employees alerted Petaluma police around 11:40 a.m. Tuesday after questioning whether the woman was the account holder or had permission to withdraw the money.

Police arrested Laurice Flemings, 44, of San Jose, as she tried to leave the Chase Bank on Kenilworth Drive.

Bank employees told police she had attempted to withdraw money from the account.

Employees told police that Flemings gave a teller a driver’s license bearing the account holder’s name and identified herself as that person, according to Petaluma police.

Flemings left the bank after employees denied the transaction.

The account holder told Petaluma police investigators that someone had recently stolen financial and personal documents, including her driver’s license, during a car burglary.

The woman said she did not know Flemings and had not authorized her to access the account, according to Petaluma police

Police arrested Flemings and booked her into Sonoma County Jail.

She faces felony charges of identity theft, commercial burglary, possession of stolen property, and theft with two or more prior theft convictions.

Anyone with information about the investigation should contact Officer Z. Cox at zcox@cityofpetaluma.org or 707-778-4372.