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Saturday, March 20, 2010
Women Are Prolific Property Crime Offenders
By Hailey Heinz
Copyright © 2010 Albuquerque Journal
Journal Staff Writer
Desiree Cordova was one of 18 women spotlighted Friday as the city's most wanted property crime offenders, a move by police to show that thieves do not have a particular profile.
Cordova was arrested Friday morning, hours after her picture appeared with 29 others in a Journal insert.
Officials clustered the women's photos in an effort to highlight the fact that women are part of the city's property crime problem.
"I think people have this idea of what a crook looks like, and it's not always accurate," Public Safety Director Darren White said. "It could be the girl next door."
Cordova's arrest makes 13 women who have been arrested after they were profiled in a monthly insert the Police Department has been purchasing as part of its campaign to crack down on property crime. The special page displays photos and names of the "Most Wanted Property Crime Offenders."
Of about 120 suspects who have been profiled since the first insert in December, 41 have been arrested.
Cordova, who was wanted on a charge of fraudulent use of a credit card, was arrested near Central Avenue and 10th Street, where she was found by detectives who target repeat offenders.
Police Chief Ray Schultz said he is pleased with results from the inserts so far, and Crime Stoppers has seen an increase in property crime tips coming in.
"It's very popular, the insert," he said. "I've seen them around town. I've seen them at my barbershop. I think people are looking at them, and hopefully this month's insert sends a message that we're looking for all kinds of property offenders, men and women."
Schultz said women are less likely to steal cars or break into homes and more likely to be involved in organized shoplifting or fraud rings.
Many offenders, male and female, are addicted to methamphetamines and steal so they can continue their addiction, he said.
White pointed to recent examples of women accused of involvement in widespread fraud, including Amber Tapia and Melissa Chezem.
Tapia, who was arrested in February and charged with identity theft and fraud crimes involving about 450 victims, was in court Friday for an arraignment, where her bond was kept at $500,000.
Chezem was sentenced in December to 16 years in prison, after she pleaded guilty to 13 theft-related cases that had a combined 100 victims.
"These two women were responsible for stealing hundreds of identities and hundreds of thousands of dollars," White said.
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