Trio Spends $4,000 Using Stolen Card Info In NHP: Police

(l-r) Christine Fernando, Bryan Sumira and Tenzin Salen

Three people were arrested for purchasing $4,000 worth of merchandise with stolen credit card information in North New Hyde Park on Friday, police say.

According to authorities, Christine Fernando, 28, of Queens, Bryan Sumira, 38, of Queens Village, and Tenzin Salen, 28, of Bay Shore, tried to purchase several men’s wallets, gift cards and assorted jewelry from Sears, located at 1400 Union Turnpike, at 4 p.m. using a Sears Master card.

Fernando told the cashier that she did not physically have the card, but was an authorized signer and knew the social security number, date of birth and home address of the card owner, police say.

The manager, who was suspicious of the situation, called the card owner, a 61-year-old man, at his home, who said he did not authorize anyone to use his card, police say. Fernando and Sumira were placed under arrest at the scene while Salen was arrested outside after she exited the store prior to police arrival, according to authorities.

Following the arrest, Fernando was found to possess a substance that appeared to be crystal meth and the names of six people, including the 61-year-old victim, with matching social security numbers written on a sheet of paper, police say.

Sumira was found to have a switchblade knife in his possession, police say.

Fernando was charged with third-degree grand larceny, second-degree possession of a forged instrument, first-degree identity theft and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Sumira was charged with third-degree grand larceny and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Salen was charged with third-degree grand larceny and false impersonation.

They were arraigned on Sunday at First District Court in Hempstead.

Images via NCPD