SUNNYVALE – The Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety (DPS) has announced the arrest of three women thought to have been responsible for stealing thousands of dollars of worth of gift cards from unsuspecting women that they would target.
The trio was known to distract employees from various places of business and then steal credit cards from their purse, quickly going to the Safeway store where they would buy hundreds of dollars’ worth of gift cards. The trio have been targeting women throughout the Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Palo Alto, and Santa Clara areas.
According to Sunnyvale DPS Capt. Shawn Ahearn, “Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety has arrested Melissa Larsen, 20, Madeline Amelia Lopez, 19, and Julia Marie Peruzzi, 18, for allegedly committing multiple burglaries and identity thefts.”
Charges brought by the Sunnyvale DPS include more than 20 burglaries and identity thefts spanning over a six-month period of time.
In dealing with the multiple jurisdictions in this case, Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety, Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, Los Gatos, Palo Alto, and Santa Clara police agencies collaborated to help identify the three women and some of their victims.
If you live in Sunnyvale and believe you are a victim please contact Detective Clyde Cheng at (408) 730-7712. If you live in one of the other cities and believe you are a victim, please contact your local police agency.
