The Sun Sunnyvale's Newspaper News Briefs Cops nab classy duo on illegal shopping spree A mother-and-daughter team went on a spending spree through downtown Sunnyvale Tuesday evening and literally shopped until they dropped--into a dank jail cell, that is. The daughter, one victim recalled, was "like a supermodel" and the mother was "very high-class." The well-heeled combo used fake identification cards and bogus checks to rack up a bill of more than $1,000 between six different retail shops. At Hallmark Gifts in the Town Center Shopping Mall, the pair bought two Cross pens valued at $110, then returned minutes later to buy three baby gift sets, priced at more than $100. Rod Belenzo, an assistant supervisor at Crescent Jewelers--where the duo purchased a 14-karat gold chain and a gold ring--said he didn't have any reason to suspect the duo was a fraud. "They were something else," Belenzo said. "The daughter was just gorgeous, and the mother was well dressed, very high-class." According to police records, the suspects started at the Compact Disc Warehouse on El Camino Real at 3:55 p.m., spending slightly more than $100. At 4:15 p.m., the pair passed a check at The Wherehouse, another music and video store just one block down the El Camino. At 4:32 p.m., they dropped into the Town Center and began their spree at the Wet Seal, a clothing store. Five minutes later, they went into Hallmark Gifts, and at 5:25 p.m., they spent $163 at Sam Goody Music. After that, they bought the jewelry, then walked into a business directly next door. When the two tried to pass a check at the store, the check was declined. That's when mall security was notified, Belenzo said. When the two were questioned, Belenzo said the mother dropped to the floor and complained of breathing complications. Paramedics were called to the scene, but the mother left the store unassisted after one hour, Belenzo said. Wednesday, investigators returned to the mall carrying two bags worth of stolen merchandise. "They could have gotten away with it if they had stopped," Belenzo quipped. "But they got too greedy and went right next door." [ Back to Contents Page | Sunnyvale Sun Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, September 23, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.