Chad M. Markham

Ashley Lynn Caprarotta

WARSAW — A couple has been arrested on theft and fraud charges.

Ashley Lynn Caprarotta, 30, 59725 CR 3, Elkhart, was arrested on Sept. 26, for one count of fraud, a level six felony and one count of attempted fraud, a level six felony.

Chad Markham, 30, 901 Mervin St., Goshen, was arrested on Sept. 26, for one count of fraud, a level six felony and one count of forgery, a level six felony.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, on Aug. 31, a Goshen Police Officer responded to a theft from a vehicle at the Goshen Public Library.

The officer arrived and spoke with an individual who advised that unknown subjects had stolen her wallet from her vehicle while it had been parked at the Goshen Library. The wallet had contained a Citibank credit card and other identifying information.

Another officer spoke with the owner of the stolen credit card, who advised she had discovered her credit card had been used at Walmart without her consent.

An officer spoke with an individual who works in the Walmart loss prevention department who found the credit card had been used on Aug. 31 to purchase an LG television in the amount of $532.86. The individual who had stolen the card had forged the signature of the owner on the receipt.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, the Walmart employee stated the subjects using the card were a male and a female. The employee stated the male had swiped the card. The employee said she knew the woman was Caprarotta because she had dealt with her in the past at Walmart.

She advised the same two subjects came back to Walmart a short time later and Caprarotta used the stolen credit card for the purchase of food, phone cards, Blu-Ray player and furniture in the amount of $320.36 and the purchase was declined.

An officer obtained the surveillance video from Walmart and booking photos from Elkhart County Correctional Complex. The officer compared the photographs, the surveillance video and the female purchasing items at Walmart. The officer believed the female to be Caprarotta.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, an officer located Caprarotta on Facebook and found she was in a relationship with Markham. The officer obtained booking photographs, Facebook photos and Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles photographs of Markham and compared those photographs to the surveillance footage from Walmart. The officer then identified the male subject purchasing the television and attempting to purchase food and phone cards as Markham.

An officer found Caprarotta had a pending criminal case of theft in the Kosciusko County Superior Court II. Caprarotta was convicted of forgery on Nov 9, 2009 in the Elkhart County Superior Court II.

Ashley Lynn Caprarotta is being held at the Kosciusko County Jail on bonds of $600 cash and $5,250 surety and cash.

Chad Markham is being held at the Kosciusko County Jail on a bond of $5,250 surety and cash.