Women Charged In Theft Of Credit Cards From Business: Meriden Police

MERIDEN, CT — Two women were recently arrested in connection with the theft, and use, of several credit cards from a company in Meriden, according to police.

Officer Ethan Busa began investigating on Nov. 27 the theft of numerous credit cards from a local property management company on East Main Street in Meriden, according to police.

Over the course of the next several weeks, police said transactions totaling more than $2,700 were made on numerous cards that were stolen from the office.

“Officer Busa’s investigation led him to an initial suspect and over the course of numerous weeks, he was able to locate numerous establishments where the card(s) had been used illegally by the suspect,” police wrote in a news release.

The suspect was eventually identified as 39-year-old Sheryl Gagne, according to police.

Police said the investigation also found that a second suspect, 58-year-old Lida Pestalozzi-Butt, had also been involved and was present when the credit cards were stolen.

“Officer Busa’s hard work and many hours of follow-up investigation ultimately resulted in the arrest of Lida Pestalozzi-Butt,” police wrote.

Pestalozzi-Butt was arrested Jan. 16 on a warrant and charged with third-degree burglary, conspiracy to commit third-degree burglary and sixth-degree larceny. She was held in lieu of a $10,000 bond.

Gagne was arrested Feb. 2 on a warrant and charged with payment card theft, third-degree burglary, fourth-degree larceny, illegal use of a revoked payment card, and conspiracy to commit third-degree burglary. Gagne, who police said was incarcerated on unrelated charges at the time of her warrant service, was held in lieu of a $7,500 bond.