In what might be filed under “criminal irony,” Gwinnett County Police have nabbed a suspect for a crime that reads like a lesson in how not to stay under the radar. After a vehicle break-in on January 12 in Lawrenceville, the thief decided to use the stolen credit card not for a quiet night out or a shopping spree, but to pay for his probation fees.
Yes, you read that right: a suspect used a victim’s credit card, swiped from a car with a now-missing window and a gaming controller, to square up with the law.
This inventive use of stolen funds didn’t exactly lead to a clean getaway. Instead, it provided detectives a breadcrumb trail straight to the suspect’s door. The card’s adventure didn’t stop at the probation office; it also enjoyed a whirlwind tour, including a gas station and a restaurant.
On February 1, police executed a search warrant at a residence in Dacula linked to the suspect, leading to his arrest without incident. Facing charges of entering a motor vehicle and financial transaction card fraud, the suspect’s innovative approach to managing his legal financial obligations might just earn him a deeper relationship with the justice system.
Additional charges may be forthcoming as detectives continue to peel back the layers of this not-so-masterful scheme.
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