Man Sentenced to 3 Months for Credit Card Fraud After Breaking Into, Stealing Purse From Parked Car
NORFOLK, Va. — Salvador Santini Cruz, 37, was sentenced to serve three months in jail after he pleaded guilty on Tuesday to charging a woman’s credit card that he stole by breaking into her car earlier this year.
On Feb. 26, Mr. Cruz, broke into the victim’s vehicle parked outside the Planet Fitness gym on East Little Creek Road while the victim was inside working out and stole her purse that was inside the car. Mr. Cruz then went to the GameStop on Tidewater Drive and attempted to charge one of the victim’s credit cards, but the store clerk declined to proceed with the transaction after Mr. Cruz failed to provide an identification that matched the victim’s name on the card. Mr. Cruz then went into a neighboring business and successfully charged the same credit card for shoes and clothes. As Mr. Cruz was shopping inside the business next door, the GameStop employee called Norfolk Police to the location to report Mr. Cruz for fraud. When Mr. Cruz walked outside carrying his shopping bags, the GameStop employee saw him and told the responding officers that he was the suspect, and the officers detained him. After officers reviewed Mr. Cruz’ Miranda rights, Mr. Cruz gave a full confession.
Mr. Cruz pleaded guilty on Tuesday to felony credit card fraud and agreed to serve three months in jail with another four years and nine months in prison suspended on the conditions that he complete one year of supervised probation and two years of uniform good behavior. Judge Joseph C. Lindsey accepted Mr. Cruz’ plea agreement, found him guilty, and sentenced him per the agreement.
“Car break-ins have been a problem for as long as there have been cars and people who see an opportunity to steal,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. “We have held Mr. Cruz accountable for what he has done. But an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure, and we can do our parts to prevent car break-ins: Lock your cars, leave your valuables in your home or out of sight, and be safe.”
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Alberto Z. Herrero prosecuted Mr. Cruz’ case on behalf of the Commonwealth, and Norfolk Police Detective Kyle B. Barnes led the investigation.
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