1 Arrested, 1 Sought for String of Car Break-Ins, Credit Card Fraud

Gwinnett Police are looking for a Lithonia man wanted in connection to multiple car break-ins and frauds in the Buford, Peachtree Corners and Lawrenceville areas.

Over the past couple of months, police said Timothy Lamont Matthews, 41, and his girlfriend Temekia Robertson, 39, also of Lithonia, have broken into parked vehicles, stole personal possessions, then used stolen credit cards to make purchases at nearby stores.

Robertson was arrested on Sept. 1 and charged with seven counts of entering autos and 12 counts of credit card fraud/theft. She is currently being held at the Gwinnett County Jail.

Matthews is still being sought. Police have secured seven arrest warrants for entering autos and one for FTC Fraud.

“In most of the cases, the suspects would either smash a window of the vehicle or reach inside a rolled-down window to steal the contents,” Gwinnett Police PIO Cpl. Michele Pihera said in a news release. “Once the suspects have possession of the stolen purses and wallets with the victim’s credit cards, they would make fraudulent purchases at nearby stores before the victims even realized their possessions were stolen.”

The two are suspected in the following incidents:

• Aug. 1, 10:40 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Gold’s Gym, 860 Duluth Hwy, Lawrenceville; stolen purse/contents, jewelry
• Aug. 1, 10:40 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (2 incidents): Gold’s Gym, 860 Duluth Hwy, Lawrenceville; stolen purse/contents
• Aug. 15,12:23-1:39 p.m.: Bethesda Park, 225 Bethesda Church Road, Lawrenceville; stolen purse/contents
• Aug. 15, 10:20 a.m.-11:30 a.m.: Bethesda Park, 225 Bethesda Church Road, Lawrenceville; stolen tablet, glasses, purse
• Aug. 15, 2:40 p.m.-4:37 p.m.: Duncan Creek Park, 3700 Braselton Hwy, Buford; stolen purse/contents
• Aug. 26, 8 p.m.-9:15 p.m.: LA Fitness, 7050 JCB, Peachtree Corners; stolen purse/contents
• Aug. 28, 6:04 p.m.-7:40 p.m.: Lifetime Fitness, 6350 Courtside Dr, Peachtree Corners, stolen wallet/contents

Detectives were able to identify the suspects using the license plate number of the vehicle seen in surveillance video.

Police describe Matthews as black male, 6-foot-4, who is missing a portion of the middle finger of his left hand, and has some gold teeth.

He may be driving a maroon 2015 Dodge Ram, tag number CBZ5532. This is a rental vehicle.

Robertson and Matthews are also wanted by Conyers Police Department.

If you know the location of Timothy Matthews, contact Gwinnett County Police Department at 770-513-5700 or 770-513-5100. To remain anonymous, tipsters should contact Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS (8477) or visit www.crimestoppersatlanta.org. Crime Stoppers tipsters can receive up to $2,000 for information leading to an arrest and indictment in this case.

Photos: Gwinnett Police PIO