Fresno woman arrested for identity theft in Live Oak

A Fresno woman was arrested for breaking into a car in Live Oak and racking up charges on a stolen credit card.

The car burglary took place Sunday morning and the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said a woman’s purse was stolen. The stolen credit cards were used at a gas station and a hotel in Watsonville.

“Deputies went to the hotel and found the room was registered to Erika Murphy who was on probation from Fresno County,” said Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s.

Deputies found Murphy in the room along with most of the items stolen from the car burglary. Stolen checks and ID cards from Kingsbury and Lodi areas were also discovered in the room.

Murphy was arrested for identity theft and possession of stolen property.

“Identity theft is a huge problem and can cause years of trouble for your credit score,” said the sheriff’s office.