07/24/08 - Lexington

Two Women Arrested for Identity Theft
by: Lauren Linney

     After one woman used a stolen check to purchase hundreds of dollars worth of electronics, Wal-Mart employees in Lexington became suspicious and contacted police.
     "The officers discovered checks and identification of people from out of state that led them to believe this female was involved in identity theft to obtain merchandise from local businesses," says Lexington Police Capt. Jeff Middleton.
     Officers arrested 34 year old Andrea Williams and charged her with forgery and criminal impersonation. She is in the Henderson County jail in lieu of 14 thousand dollars bond.
     Authorities soon found out Williams had an accomplice and arrested 38 year old Lachandra Moore. "They were both positively identitfied and one of the suspects had outstanding warrants and was wanted by the US Marshals for identity theft related crimes," says Middleton.
     Moore was charged with two counts of forgery and is held in lieu of one hundred thousand dollars bond. Lexington police say their investigation led them to believe that both women, who are from Memphis, are connected with similar crimes across the country. According to Middleton, "We have evidence linking them all the way out to the west coast, so at this point the investigation is still going on."
     Identity theft is becoming more common every year, but Middleton believes this particular case is rare. "Its unusual that you catch these women that have been doing this all over the country, that's a little unusual, but it's not unusual that these people come from Memphis or other places to commit these crimes," comments Middleton.
 
Identity Theft Protection Tips from Captain Jeff Middleton (Lexington PD)
 
1. Be extra careful with what you do with personal property, such as purses, wallets, etc., when it is unattended.
 
2. Don't leave personal property in your car unattended, because a lot of identity thefts occur after cars are burglarized.
 
3. Pay attention to where personal information goes after you wish to get rid of it or dispose of it. Captain Middleton suggests purchasing a shredder to shred account numbers or other personal numbers, codes, or information.