Rohnert Park Teachers, Staff Victimized By Credit Card Thieves

ROHNERT PARK, CA -- A Santa Rosa couple has been arrested on suspicion of stealing credit cards from staff members at eight different elementary schools in Sonoma County, including Rohnert Park.

Susan Patricia Morris, 47, and Jeffrey Scott Haysbert, 49, who have children in one of the schools, allegedly used the stolen credit cards at Sonoma County businesses, Santa Rosa Police Sgt. Marcus Sprague said Dec. 15.

The thefts of purses and wallets, most of them belonging to teachers, were from vacant classrooms during school hours since early November. They were reported to Santa Rosa and Rohnert Park police and the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office, Sprague said.

Police used surveillance camera video of the fraudulent purchases and the thefts from the schools to identify Morris and Haysbert as the suspects, Sprague said. When photos of the suspects were posted on social
media sites, detectives immediately began receiving phone calls with possible suspect information.

Santa Rosa police detectives got a warrant to search Morris's and Haysbert's vehicles and residence on Dec. 15. Police found stolen credit cards and the purchases, including high-end electronics, that were made with them, Sprague said.

Detectives found additional credit cards and personal information belonging to other possible victims, and Morris and Haysbert were arrested and questioned at the Santa Rosa Police Department, Sprague said.

Morris was booked under $40,000 bail in the Sonoma County Jail on seven felony and three misdemeanor counts that include burglary, identity theft and conspiracy.

Haysbert was booked under $30,000 bail on six felony and three misdemeanor counts of burglary, identity theft and conspiracy. Both are scheduled to be arraigned in Sonoma County Superior Court the afternoon of Dec. 19.

Sprague said additional charges are pending a follow-up investigation by the sheriff's office, the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety and Santa Rosa and Petaluma police.

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