Investigation Connects Stolen Wallet Report to Traffic Stop Arrest
AMADOR COUNTY, CA — A credit card and identity theft investigation initiated on November 30 has concluded with the apprehension of a suspect currently in custody, according to a report from the Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation began after a man reported to the Sheriff’s Office that his distinctive wallet, lost at a local bar the night before, had been used in several fraudulent credit card transactions. A deputy subsequently contacted the victim and began the process of collecting evidence, including requesting video surveillance from businesses where the stolen card was used.
On December 6th, a separate law enforcement action occurred when a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Coal Mine Road in Jackson Valley due to an expired registration on a blue Ford Explorer. During the stop, deputies identified one of the occupants as a Stockton man wearing a red flannel coat. The man was found to be on probation and had an outstanding felony warrant for his arrest. A subsequent vehicle search revealed the man was in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. The man’s four prior drug-related convictions led to the current possession charge being filed as a felony violation of California’s Proposition 36. Prior to transport, the man requested a deputy retrieve his wallet from the vehicle.
The investigation into the credit card theft advanced on December 9, when the initial deputy retrieved surveillance video from a local business. The video reportedly showed a man in a red flannel coat using the stolen credit card to purchase several items before leaving the location in a blue Ford Explorer. This vehicle was quickly identified as the one involved in the December 6 traffic stop and subsequent arrest of the Stockton man, who remained in custody.
The deputy examined the personal property collected from the man during the booking process and located a wallet matching the unique description provided by the victim, though it now contained the arrested man’s cards. The Stockton man reportedly confessed to the identity theft when confronted with the evidence and was subsequently booked on multiple additional felony charges.
