Thief on shopping spree in Chattanooga

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee(WDEF) – For the past two days, a thief has enjoyed a Christmas shopping spree at the expense of a 65-year old woman.

Linda Tennyson of Rossville is currently going through a rough time. Someone not only stole her checkbook but used her checks to racked up more than $460 worth of purchases.

Community National Bank traced most of those purchases back to one location.

"Four checks were coming through from the Gunbarrel Walmart And that was rung up on Monday," Tennyson said.

Tennyson said she contacted the store and asked to speak to a manger. She wanted to know how someone could purchase items with her checks and not be required to show an ID that matches the information on the checks.

"They told me that if I’d ever cashed a check there then was in their system and that I didn’t have to show anything else," Tennyson said.

"She did the right thing by immediately contacting her financial institution that she does business with. That helps flag it," said Better Business Bureau President Jim Winsett.

WDEF asked a manager about Walmart’s check policy but were referred to Walmart’s corporate media relations department. No one from that department returned messages.

Minutes after WDEF interview Tennyson, A representative from her bank told her by phone that three of her checks were just used at two different Auto Zone stores in Chattanooga. Purchases totaled nearly $150.

WDEF talked to a manager at the Auto Zone store on Rossville Blvd. He said all the stores were told about the purchases by late Tuesday afternoon.

Fortunately, none of that money will come out of Tennyson’s checking account because she had already alerted the bank about her missing checkbook. But that hasn’t stopped the thief from making illegal purchases in her name.