Woman goes on shopping spree with stolen debit card and is arrested

BEDFORD – A Bedford woman was arrested Thursday after stealing cash and a debit card from a man’s pant pocket and going on a shopping spree.

Jessica Hackney

Police arrested 33-year-old Jessica Hackney on seven counts of theft, two counts of identity deception, and six counts of fraud.

On that day, a male told police Hackney had stolen his debit card and made purchases without his permission. 

The male had obtained bank statements showing the charges. 

The male told police he had stayed the night at a home in the 2300 block of U Street and Hackney was at the home. The debit card was in his pant pocket and $440 in cash before he went to sleep. 

On August 23rd, he found his cash and debit card missing. He checked his bank account and noticed several transitions he did not make and a considerable amount of money was missing from his account.

On the bank statements, there were 10 withdrawals he did not authorize. Two of those transactions included $1.50 fees from using an ATM. One transaction was for $503.75 at Circle K on 16th Street.

The detective went to that store and reviewed security footage. In the footage the detective saw a silver Buick Rendezvous pull into the lot, Hackney exited the front passenger seat and entered the store.

She went to the ATM near the door, made a transaction and then left in the Buick.

Hackney also made purchases of $109.34 at the Dollar General on Mitchell Road. Detectives reviewed their security footage that showed a silver Buick enter the parking lot with Hackney and two men.

The two men followed Hackney around the store as she shopped. Hackney then checked out and paid with the stolen debit card.

Maurice’s on John Williams Boulevard was the Detectives third stop in the investigation. Maurice’s staff were able to provide them with an itemized receipt of items Hackney purchased that totaled $169.48.

The detective then went to the Shoe Department on John Williams Boulevard and was provided a receipt of items Hackney purchased that totaled $76.40. The store clerk said Hackney and a male entered the store with Starbucks, which was also purchased with the stolen card approximately 30 minutes prior to them entering the store. While making the purchases at the Shoe Department Hackney used her store loyalty card to make the purchase.

On August 31, the detective contacted Hackney at a home in the 2300 block of U Street but she was not at home. The detective also attempted to locate Hackney in the 2100 block of Norton Lane and the 310 block of North Jackson Street.

On September 1, 2022, Hackney contacted the detective via phone. She told police that the man had given her the debit card to use and she would pay him back and he wrote his pin number on her hand. She told the detective she had given the male $500 but she said he was “too messed up to remember it”. She stated she intended to pay back the male but he “freaked out” before she could pay him back. 

The detective then contacted the male and he told the detective he never gave Hackney his pin numbers. 

The information was forwarded to the Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Office and a warrant was issued for Hackney’s arrest.