Police: Man Stole Debit Card While Owner Was in Hospital for Cancer

A Lawrenceville man has been arrested in connection to charging thousands of dollars to a relative's debit card while he was in the hospital for cancer.

According to the Gwinnett County Police report, Barry Holbrook, 45, has been charged with financial transaction card theft, financial transaction card fraud and forgery in the fourth degree.

Police met with the victim on a recent Wednesday at Gwinnett Medical Center. The victim, 66, of Lawrenceville, told the officer that he had just been released from the hospital after being treated for cancer for several days.

While in the hospital, he was contacted by his bank about 17 fraudulent purchases that were made between March 20 and March 25. Several transactions were completed at package stores and motels in Suwanee. 

A total amount of $2,326.88 was charged to his card, according to the report.

Once he and his son told Holbrook, a relative, that the bank had done an investigation on the fraudulent charges, Holbrook admitted he had taken the card.

Holbrook told police that he took the debit card from the victim's dresser while he was in the hospital and without his permission. Regarding the transactions, the hotel rentals were for some friends who wanted to do cocaine, the report says.

Holbrook noted that he let one of his friends use the card at a gas station to buy a few things, and he hasn't seen the man since, so he no longer had the card. Even though they've been friends for years, he didn't know his friend's real name, phone number or address; just that he went by the name Black.

At the end of the questioning, police arrested Holbrook. While searching him, the officer found a business check for $500 in his wallet made out to himself from the victim. The victim told the officer he did not sign that check.

When police told him that the forged check was being added to his charges, the suspect argued that he shouldn't be charged for it since the check was old.

The information in this article is based solely on police incident reports provided on request. It does not indicate a conviction.