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NORTHERN UTAH -- Davis and Weber Counties are seeing a significant increase in car burglaries, and investigators suspect many of the crimes may be connected to some bank fraud cases where the victims have lost tens of thousands of dollars.
In one case, a South Ogden woman lost $14,000 in three separate fraudulent withdrawals at credit unions in Clearfield and Layton.
Thursday, Clearfield and Farmington police released surveillance photos -- mostly of the same woman -- at credit unions and other financial institutions making the withdrawals.
"She's very brazen," Clearfield Police assistant chief Mike Stenquist said. "She doesn't seem to be afraid of cameras or she doesn't seem to hide her face."
In some photos taken at the Utah First Credit Union in Farmington, the woman, in a dark shirt and jeans, appears to casually enter through the front in no disguise. She approaches the counter, even smiles. Other photos taken from drive-through cameras show the woman's face straight-on.
"It appears that the suspect has been stealing credit cards, bank cards and IDs from different vehicles throughout the county and through Weber County," Stenquist said.
Car burglaries are approaching comparative epidemic status in some cities. In Farmington, Police Chief Wayne Hansen said there have been 24 so far in June alone.
A car burglary in Bountiful led to the fraud case at the Utah First Credit Union in Farmington, and the South Ogden woman's card was stolen in Ogden. The same woman was caught on tape cashing in with both cards.
Police are now trying to pin down how expansive an operation they may be facing.
Hansen said he believed there was a "strong possibility" another man, captured in just one photo in South Salt Lake, was connected to the woman in the other fraud cases.
"What we know is he just used credit cards that were taken from vehicle burglaries to make purchases and withdraw cash," Hansen said.
How many car burglaries in the recent rash are connected, however, remains uncertain.
"We just don't know," Hansen said. "There seems to be some kind of link, but we don't know how deep that goes or how many people are involved right now."
Anybody who believes they have information in the case is asked to call Clearfield Police, Layton Police, Farmington Police or their local law enforcement agency.
Email: aadams@ksl.com
