5 Teens Arrested in Credit Card Scheme

Two 15-year-old Oak Park High School students and three other teens from Agoura and Agoura Hills have been arrested on suspicion of using stolen credit card information to buy merchandise over the Internet via America Online.

Authorities said the five teenage boys, whose names were withheld because they are under 18, used their computer expertise to access credit card numbers and other information from America Online subscribers.

The teens then allegedly sold the illegally obtained items--including sunglasses and compact discs--to students at Agoura and Oak Park high schools, according to sheriff’s reports.

The youths were caught after detectives at the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department received a tip that unknown persons were ordering merchandise over America Online using stolen credit card numbers and having the items delivered to a residence on Pesaro Street in Oak Park.

Detectives, working with a mail-order business used by the teens for ordering merchandise, set up a delivery at the Pesaro Street address and staked out the location.

On Wednesday, the three youths from Agoura Hills, all 16 or 17 years old, drove up to the residence about noon, grabbed several packages and sped away, detectives said.

Detectives stopped the car down the street and seized the packages as evidence. The two Oak Park teens were arrested at Oak Park High School a short time later, authorities said.

During a search of four of the youths’ homes, detectives seized several computers, more illegally obtained merchandise, and evidence including invoices, lists containing credit card numbers and personal information, and orders from other high school students, according to sheriff’s reports.

Authorities said the teens had been operating the credit card fraud scheme for several months.

Detectives have also linked the youths’ activities to an ongoing investigation by local authorities and school officials involving the sale of stolen compact discs at the two high schools, officials said.

Additional arrests are expected.