Pizza deliveries lead to ID theft arrest for Georgia woman

By Alexis Stevens

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

When she realized her credit card was being used by someone on the other side of the country, a California woman called police in Georgia.

Since the stolen credit card number was being used to order pizza and pay electric bills, it didn't take long for Villa Rica police to crack the case, Capt. Keith Shaddix told the AJC.

“If you order pizzas online or on the phone, they deliver it your house," Shaddix said.

When officers went to the Whitney Lane home of Tawana Bendon, the 41-year-old confessed to identity theft, Shaddix said. Bendon was placed under arrest and transported to the Carroll County jail.

Bendon faces one charge of identity theft, but that number is expected to increase, Shaddix said. The woman is believed to be responsible for using others' identities for many other purchases, he said.

Investigators removed two truckloads of evidence that Bendon was receiving credit card numbers from a person in South Africa, Shaddix said.

The U.S. Secret Service is now assisting Villa Rica police with the investigation, Shaddix said.