A Clarkesville man and his wife have been arrested after they used a stolen credit card to make nearly $5,000 worth of fraudulent purchases at Hall County retail businesses, according to the sheriff’s office.
“Wendell Burt Cooper, 65, and Sandra Ruth Cooper, 61, each face 15 felony counts in the crime, one each (1) for financial transaction card theft and 14 each for financial transaction card fraud,” spokeswoman B.J. Williams says.
Hall County detectives launched an investigation after a woman reported on Sept. 25 there were numerous fraudulent transactions on her credit card. She realized her credit card was missing from her purse after noticing the charges on her account. The victim reported she last used the credit card at a business on South Enota Drive on Sept. 22.
“The victim provided investigators with a list of the fraudulent transactions, all of which occurred on Sept. 22 and Sept. 23,” Williams said. “Investigators visited each retail business where the transactions had been made. After speaking with employees at the various businesses and reviewing security video from inside and outside the stores, investigators identified the Coopers as the offenders.
“The investigation determined Wendell Cooper had found the credit card on the ground outside of the business where the victim had last used the card. He took the card and he and Sandra Cooper used it at nine different businesses in Hall County. The couple made a total amount of $4,936.10 in unauthorized purchases.”
The pair was arrested at their home in Clarkesville on Tuesday. Both remain in custody at the Hall County Jail at last check. Bond for each is $85,500.