Police suspect Wauwatosa woman of stealing identities to support drug habit
Police believe a 44-year-old Wauwatosa woman caught in the act of stealing mail has taken identities of others to support a drug habit, according to a search warrant.
The woman was arrested about 12:24 a.m. Sunday when an officer caught her reaching into a mailbox. When she saw officers, the woman dropped the mail and tried to walk away.
Officers said the woman had a Wisconsin ID card for a dead man in her possession, along prescription pain killers and oxycodone.
"It is common for narcotics users that steal identities to support their habits by continuing to steal more identities to maintain their habit and they commonly keep identities to later re-use," a Wauwatosa detective wrote in an affidavit for a search warrant.
Detectives searched the woman's home Tuesday and found two handguns, a U.S. Postal key, mail addressed to several different people, collector coins, financial documents, and Wisconsin photo ID cards for various citizens, among other items, the warrant return stated.
Charges have not yet been filed against the woman.