Man Arrested With Trove Of Stolen Credit Cards In South Pasadena

SOUTH PASADENA, CA — A 28-year-old homeless man has been arrested in South Pasadena after officers investigating a shoplifting report found him in possession of other people's credit cards and drug paraphernalia, police said Wednesday.

Officers responded about 11 p.m. Tuesday to a report of a shoplifting that had just occurred in the 1200 block of Fair Oaks Avenue, according to the South Pasadena Police Department.

A man matching the suspect description was located a few blocks away and a female initially described as an accomplice was found in the 1000 block of Fremont Avenue a short time later, police said.

Officers found the credit cards and drug paraphernalia in the man's possession, police said.

The man, identified as Matthew Johnson of Los Angeles, said he had found the credit cards in the homeless encampment where he lives, but both he and the female admitted "they frequently steal items from stores to support their drug addictions," police said.

Johnson was arrested on suspicion of possession of drug paraphernalia and the fraudulent possession of the credit cards, police said, adding the female was later released.

City News Service; Photo: Shutterstock