Washingtonian stole, used credit card from Fredericksburg health club, police report

By KEITH EPPS

Date published: 11/30/2004

Police accuse Washingtonian of breaking into gym locker, stealing wallet, racking up sales

Police say a Washington man wanted a lot more than a workout when he entered a Fredericksburg health club.

City police spokesman Jim Shelhorse said the man used bolt cutters to break into a locker Friday at the Sport and Health Club in Central Park and steal a wallet and Palm Pilot.

In less than an hour, nearly $4,000 worth of Central Park merchandise was charged to a credit card taken from the wallet.

Vincent D. Rush, 42, was taken into custody a short time later. Police say the victim's wallet and three others--including one stolen at a health club in Maryland--were found in his vehicle.

Rush was charged with grand larceny, five counts of credit-card fraud, possession of burglary tools and five counts of credit-card forgery. He was placed in the Rappahannock Regional Jail without bond.

According to Shelhorse, a man entered the Central Park health club about 1 p.m. The bolt cutters apparently were hidden in his gym bag.

After pilfering the victim's property, the man immediately went on a shopping spree, police say. He tried to use the credit card at Target, Shelhorse said, but by that time it had been reported stolen.

Target's loss-prevention officers called city police with a description of the man and his vehicle's tag number.

"It was a good job [by the Target employees]," Shelhorse said. "Had they not gotten the information that they did, [the suspect] would probably still be out spending other people's money."

Officer Joe Young spotted the vehicle and stopped it near the intersection of Carl Silver Parkway and Central Park Boulevard, Shelhorse said.

Young spotted a credit card and several bags of merchandise on the passenger seat. Shelhorse said he wasn't sure what items were purchased. Young also found the bolt cutters and other items in the suspect's gym bag, Shelhorse said.

A short time later, the victim showed up and identified several items as his, including the credit card, the Palm Pilot and the severed lock.

Young found the three wallets hidden under the spare tire in the trunk, Shelhorse said. The owners of those wallets were later contacted.

Shelhorse said one victim told police that his wallet was taken from his health club in Maryland. By the time he realized what had happened, several of his credit cards had been maxed out.

To reach KEITH EPPS: 540/374-5404 kepps@freelancestar.com

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Date published: 11/30/2004