3 Women Accused in Credit Card Scam

Three 19-year-old women were arrested after they used stolen credit cards to buy hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise from two stores, Oxnard police said Saturday.

Chere Garcia of Oxnard, Diandra Batrin of Oxnard and Angelina Sandez of Anchorage were booked into Ventura County Jail on charges of conspiracy to commit theft, burglary and possession of stolen property, Oxnard police said.

Police picked up Garcia and Batrin on Friday night after they were detained by Mervyn’s Department Store security, according to Det. David Klug.

Investigators said Garcia, an employee of the Mervyn’s at 2701 Saviers Road in Oxnard, obtained credit card numbers and gave them to Batrin, who in turn used the numbers to purchase $600 worth of clothing and other merchandise from Garcia.

Klug said that Sandez had pulled off a similar scam Thursday night at Sportmart at 2301 N. Rose Ave. in Oxnard. Sandez was arrested at a residence in the 2600 block of Lilac Walk after investigators found $300 in stolen merchandise there, Klug said.

Batrin and Sandez remained in jail Saturday in lieu of $10,000 bail, a spokeswoman said. Garcia, who also was charged with embezzlement, was no longer in custody. If convicted, the women could face state prison sentences.