Police say a 46-year-old Livermore man is behind a weeklong shopping spree that was never his to make, after a resident reported a string of unauthorized credit card charges at 14 different stores across the city between Feb. 14 and Feb. 22. According to officers, the suspect admitted to using a credit card he said he found, and investigators later recovered property they say is tied to those transactions. The case has been sent to the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office for charging, and police shared news of the arrest on their social media.
In a Facebook update, the Livermore Police Department identified the suspect as 46-year-old Jefferson Tolentino of Livermore and said he was arrested on allegations that include identity theft and theft by access card. Investigators reported recovering the credit card and other property during the investigation, and the post states that Tolentino admitted to using a found card without the owner’s permission.
Police account and local reporting
Local coverage has echoed the department’s account, noting that the disputed purchases were traced to 14 separate Livermore stores over a nine-day window. Patch reported that Tolentino was taken into custody after investigators linked the transactions to him and recovered items believed to have been bought with the card. Officials have turned the case over to the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office for a charging decision.
Retail fraud in the Tri‑Valley
Retail fraud and credit card misuse have been on the radar in the Tri‑Valley in recent months, including a separate August 2025 arrest outside the San Francisco Premium Outlets in Livermore. That case was covered by the San Francisco Chronicle, which reported that officers recovered dozens of allegedly stolen items at the mall. Officials say incidents like these put extra pressure on store loss‑prevention workers and local investigators.
What to do if you see unauthorized charges
If your statement shows charges you did not make, the Federal Trade Commission recommends reporting the fraud at IdentityTheft.gov and contacting your card issuer right away to dispute the transactions and freeze the account if needed. Victims should also file a police report, and the Livermore Police Department provides information on how to obtain reports and claim recovered property. Anyone with information about the current investigation can call the Livermore Police non‑emergency line at (925) 371‑4900.
