Accused Credit Card Thief Caught on Camera—Twice

A Westport man was arrested Saturday after allegedly making over $200 in fraudulent purchases on a Darien resident's lost credit card.

The 60-year-old man was charged with theft of a credit card, seven counts of illegal use of a credit card, receiving goods obtained by illegal use of a credit card, and sixth degree larceny.

The charges stem from a May 21 complaint in which a Darien man told police he had lost his MasterCard after making a purchase at a Norwalk Kinko's the afternoon of the 20th.

Soon after realizing the card was missing, the man went to his bank, where he found that seven fraudulent purchases had been made the same day he lost the card.

The charges, all of which fell between 3:31 p.m. and 5:31 p.m., were made at locations including a ShopRite in Norwalk, a CVS Pharmacy in Westport, and a Trader Joe's in Westport. $203 in Metro-North tickets were also purchased in Wesport.

But what gave away the Westport man's identity, police said, were two separate fill-ups at Tri-S Automative (211 Post Road). Surveillance tape reportedly showed a man matching suspect's appearance gassing up both a Volkswagen and a Mercedes registered to his name.

Surveillance video from the Norwalk ShopRite also showed a similar man making a purchase there at the time indicated by credit card records, according to police.

Along with a member of the Westport Police Department, Darien Police arrested the Westport man at his residence. He reportedly told officers on the scene that he didn't know what they were talking about and declined to answer questions without an attorney.

He was released on $5000 bond and is set to appear in court Sept. 14.

Editor's note: The man was given accelerated rehabilitation and his name has been removed from this article.