Jewelry heist foiled

By MARSHA DORGAN
Register Staff Writer

A Hayward woman’s plan to make off with thousands of dollars worth of jewelry from a Napa store was cut short when it was discovered she was using a stolen credit card and fake identification.

Camille Patina Cade entered Spinelle Jewelers on First Street on Tuesday afternoon and tried to purchase $5,000 worth of jewelry using a stolen credit card. She also produced a fake driver’s license, police said.

Store employees became suspicious and called police.

Cade eventually told officers her true identity and claimed she bought the license and credit card in San Francisco, police said.

The credit card was stolen in 2007 and used to purchase about $10,000 worth of merchandise, police said.

Cade was taken into custody and taken to the county jail. During the booking process, correctional officers found her to be in possession of two Ecstasy pills, police said.

Cade, 27, was arrested on suspicion of burglary, theft using a stolen credit card, possession of fraudulent identification and bringing a controlled substance into the jail.

Scam alert

Police are warning the public to be on the lookout for a man claiming to be an auto repair worker.

The man approaches people, mostly women, in parking lots and tells them he saw someone hit their vehicle when they were in the store and leave, Napa Police Sgt. Paul Paniagua said.

“He tells them he works for (an) automotive shop, but can do the work himself cheaper than if they take the vehicle to the shop,” he said.

Paniagua said the man is usually able to convince the victim to let him follow them to their home.

Once at the house, the man does some very minor repair work.

“He then tells the victim he needs money to go purchase parts. He will only accept cash. He takes the money, leaves supposedly to get the parts and never comes back,” Paniagua said.

“Be very careful about doing business with strangers who tell you they can do the work cheaper than if you take it to a business,” Paniagua said. “And never invite or tell strangers where you live. That is a very dangerous thing to do.”

Information is available by calling Napa police at 257-9223.

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