NK, Narragansett Detectives Follow Trail of Uber Charges to Nab Alleged Wallet Thief

NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI—North Kingstown detectives have arrested a Narragansett woman who allegedly stole a wallet, diamond rings and a credit card from a North Kingstown woman's car on Aug. 14 after carefully tracking down security camera footage—and getting help from Narragansett detectives.

The case unraveled after photographs of then-unidentified Arielle Marie Larouche, 24, of 130 Mettatuxet Road, Narragansett, were forwarded to members of the Rhode Island Detective Association by a North Kingstown detective.

A Narragansett detective recognized her, along with the man who was seen with her as she tried to use the victim's card to make purchases at the Walmart at Ten Rod Road. It wasn't long before police arrested Larouche, who now faces charges of felony computer access for fraud and larceny.

The victim reported the crime on Aug. 16. She said her wallet went missing, likely when it was left in her car at the Dave's Marketplace on Tower Hill Road two days earlier.

Police said the woman believes she locked her car but a window could have been left open by a child. She brought just her debit card into the store, leaving her wallet, which also contained two diamond rings. She then ran other errands and visited a friend in Narragansett before heading home and discovering the theft the next day.

Investigators reviewed the charges made by the suspect. They showed five charges to Uber Technologies and purchases at Walmart, Frenchy Mart and 3 Star Market and NYK Market in Providence, all between Aug. 14 and 15.

Police got their footage at Walmart on Aug. 17 after matching the card's information with a transaction at the store, which declined the card on account of it being reported cancelled by the bank.

A camera recording the self-service register for the transaction showed a white female attempt to ring nine items from her cart. After the card was declined, she fumbled through a brown wallet and ended up abandoning the items at the register before meeting up with the male subject outside the store and leaving in a car "driven by someone else," according to a police report.

Once police had an identification from the Narragansett detective, they learned that she was wanted in connection with multiple similar cases in Narragansett involving cars being entered and items stolen. And, once they learned her address, they noticed that Larouche's address was close to the victim's friend's address, which might mean the victim's card wasn't stolen while parked outside Dave's after all.

Police then got a warrant on Aug. 21 and Narragansett police arrested Larouche at her house without incident. She told police that she tried to buy diapers with the card but was unable to because it asked for a pin number she didn't know. She said she found it on the ground near a park close to her house in Narragansett. She then changed her account, saying she was walking near a park when she saw a car parked on the side of the road with a wallet sitting on top of bags on the passenger seat.

Larouche then said she used the card to pay for an Uber to Walmart. From there, she used Uber to go home. The next day, she used the card for an Uper trip to Providence, tried to use it three separate times and then "destroyed the card and all other items that she had stolen from the wallet."

Larouche also reportedly admitted to breaking into another car in Narragansett about a week earlier. She said the male subject had no involvement in any crimes.

Larouche was carrying two earrings and one ring that matched the victim's description. In addition to the North Kingstown charges, Narragansett police have filed charges of larceny.

She was arraigned in Third Division District Court on Monday and released on surety bail. She is due to return to court on Sept. 27 for an attorney general screening conference.