PALOS HEIGHTS, IL — A Hammond, Indiana woman is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly taking a lost wallet and using the credit cards for a shopping spree. Luz Langumas, 50, has been charged with five felony counts of identity theft, according to Palos Heights police.
On August 26, a Palos Heights man reported his wallet missing and said it had been used at several stores. He last remembered having it at the Shell gas station near 121st Street and Ridgeland Avenue.
Detectives reviewed surveillance footage from the gas station, which showed a gray Ford Escape entering the lot. A woman—later identified as Langumas—was seen exiting the vehicle, picking up the wallet from the ground, and putting it in her pocket.
Using the city’s FLOCK license plate reader system, police traced the vehicle after it left the scene. Investigators obtained additional surveillance from retailers including Speedway, Shoe Carnival, Kohl’s/Sephora, PetSmart, and Burlington, where Langumas was seen making purchases with the stolen credit cards.
On August 27, the day after the theft, police were notified that the same Ford Escape had returned to the Shell station. Officers and detectives responded immediately and arrested Langumas at the scene.
A store clerk later identified her in a photo lineup, further connecting her to the fraudulent purchases.
“She picked up a found wallet in the parking lot but instead of returning it, she went on a shopping spree,” said Deputy Chief John Parnitzke of the Palos Heights Police Department.
