James W. Barton, 23, of Madisonville, is wanted in connection with a five-county alleged credit-card-theft spree. / Photo provided/Warren County Sheriff’s Office
Janice Morse reports:
Police are seeking the public’s help to find a Madisonville man who allegedly went on a five-county credit-card-theft spree.
James W. Barton, 23, is accused of stealing credit cards, then using them to buy expensive electronics, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office said Monday.
Barton is wanted on charges of receiving stolen property, forgery and misuse of a credit card, the sheriff’s office said.
“Barton has used credit cards that were stolen from medical facilities in Warren, Clinton, Butler, Montgomery and Hamilton Counties,” the release said.
The cards were stolen from patients as well as employees of doctors’ offices and hospitals, said Warren County Sheriff’s Detective Susan Horne.
Barton is not believed to have a job that would give him special access in any of those places, she said. In fact, “as far as we know, he’s unemployed,” Horne said.
Horne was unable to give any specific prevention tips, she said, because, “we don’t know exactly how he’s doing it.”
Barton allegedly used the stolen cards to buy expensive electronics in retail stores such as Walmart, Target and Meijer, Horne said.
The incidents have happened at least a dozen times, she said.
Police developed Barton as a suspect as a result of video images and other investigative information, Horne said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Horne at 513-695-1280 or TriState Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040. Tipsters may remain anonymous and could receive cash rewards for their information.
