Police Warn of Thieves Targeting Fitness Buffs

Thieves, possibly working in groups, are targeting fitness buffs in health clubs, stealing their automatic teller cards and then using them to get money or establish credit under an assumed name, police said Wednesday.

The thieves break into lockers and take purses and wallets, then call the victims at the health club or at home pretending to be bank officials to get the personal identification numbers to withdraw money from teller machines, official said.

Police said the thefts are occurring in Los Angeles and Orange counties.

“It seems to be a possibility that there might be a group of thieves traveling to various health clubs,” said Anaheim Police Det. Kelly Jung, whose city has had five reported victims. “The trend has been going south, with the most recent case in Newport Beach.”

Jung said similar thefts have been reported in Buena Park and Orange, and the problem may be more widespread.

Among the victims was 44-year-old Dorothy Spint of Anaheim.

Spint had her purse stolen from a locker at a fitness club recently and was called at home. A woman identified herself as a bank employee and said she was concerned about high amounts charged to the customer’s account. Spint told the woman she hadn’t used her account and that her card had been stolen that day.

Spint said the woman asked her if she wanted a new personal identification number and, when Spint declined, the woman asked for her number. Spint said she gave the woman the number.

“It was stupid. But the police said that these criminals are very good at what they do,” she said.

Spint, who lost $300 to the thieves, said she took a lock to the fitness club and didn’t think someone would break into her locker.

“When I called my bank and told them about the scam, they told me that no one is allowed to ask for PIN numbers,” Spint said. “I was naive.”

Jung said detectives could potentially be investigating tens of thousands of dollars in fraud cases in Anaheim alone, and that this should serve as a wake-up call for people who think they are safe from this type of crime just by locking their belongings in a locker.

“Most people leave their PIN numbers in their wallets,” Jung said. “When personal information is tucked away in a locker and not readily available to see, I think we are lulled into a false sense of security. People need to realize that if someone wants to get into a locker, they will.”

Jung said the thieves acquire personal identification such as Social Security cards, driver’s licenses or other cards left in wallets and purses.

“With these forms of personal information, the crooks are able to establish credit,” Jung said.