Police: Women Used Thirsty Child Ruse to Fool Homeowner

Two women who allegedly used a child as part of a ruse to gain entry to a home were in custody Monday, facing burglary, identity theft,  child-endangerment and other felony counts, authorities said.

Elizabeth Lopez De Garcia, 39, and 40-year-old Carolyn Martinez Orloff, both of San Jacinto, were arrested in a Wal-Mart Sunday, Hemet police  Cpl. Frank Pitetti. Orloff's 5-year-old child was with them at the time of the arrest.

At about 2 p.m. that day, police received a call of a burglary in the 2100  block of East Devonshire Avenue, Pitetti said. He said two women and a child  had come to a home and asked for water. While inside the home, the women distracted the victim and stole a purse containing cash, credit cards and a driver's license, police said.

Police contacted a credit card company and determined that someone had  tried to send a Moneygram using one of the stolen credit cards, but the  transaction was declined. Officers began searching businesses that made that  type of transaction, Pitetti said.

Officers went to a Wal-Mart in San Jacinto, where a self-service machine sends Moneygrams, and spotted two women and a child, Pitetti said.

The women were stopped and arrested after the victim identified them,  Pitetti said. Police also found items allegedly stolen from Wal-Mart,  authorities said.

The women were booked into the county jail on suspicion of residential  burglary, commercial burglary, elder abuse, possession of stolen property, identity theft, child endangerment and unauthorized use of a credit card, Pitetti said.

Surveillance footage showed the women trying to buy items with a credit  card but the transaction was declined, police said.

Police believe the women may have been involved in other recent  burglaries, and they asked anyone who may have been victimized to call 951-765-2400.