Crime & Safety

Fairfax County Police Charge Duo in Credit Card Theft, Fraud

Couple linked to 50 incidents totaling $100,000

Fairfax County Police charged a man and woman in a series of thefts and credit card frauds that occurred over a two-year-period around the region, including Fairfax County. In August 2009, county detectives joined a regional investigation initiated by the Montgomery County, Md. Police Department, after several "distraction-type" larcenies were discovered in Fairfax County.

            In each case, according to a news release from the county, an older woman in a grocery store was approached by another woman who would request assistance in reading product labels. While the victim was distracted, a man would allegedly remove the victim’s wallet from her purse, as it sat unattended in her shopping cart.

            The suspects reportedly took the stolen credit cards and purchased large quantities of gift cards from local retail stores. Between August 2009-February 2011, detectives around the region linked approximately 50 incidents with an estimated $100,000 in fraudulent purchases. These incidents primarily occurred throughout Fairfax and Montgomery counties; however, several other jurisdictions experienced cases as well.

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            Investigators identified two suspects and on Feb. 16, detectives from Montgomery County located those two suspects driving a car in Maryland. The vehicle entered Fairfax County; investigators from both Fairfax and Arlington located the suspicious vehicle and conducted surveillance on it in the 6100 block of Arlington Boulevard. (Although a press release does not mention the exact location, there is a Willston Centre shopping center near this location, with a Safeway and Target store in the center.) A man and woman were taken into custody after they allegedly attempted to purchase gift cards, using the stolen credit cards.

            John Sylvester Washington, 50, of 6600 Belcrest Road #K in Hyattsville, Md. and Tamara Hope Claiborne (AKA Tamara Frazier), 40, of 4120 14th Street, N.W. in Washington, D.C. were transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center. They were each charged by Fairfax County Police with three counts of credit card theft and three counts of credit card fraud. Additional charges are pending from other jurisdictions. 

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            Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Solvers by phone at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477, e-mail at www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org or text “TIP187” plus your message to CRIMES/274637 or call Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131.


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