Police: Man Stole Sister's Credit Card, Went on Spending Spree

A 31-year-old Havertown man stole his sister’s credit card last month and went on a spending spree, Haverford Township Police are reporting.

Thomas William Hillenbrand, a resident of the 100 block of South Eagle Road, faces charges of accessing a device issued to another person who didn’t authorize use and receiving stolen property stemming from the series of alleged August and September purchases he made with his sister’s card.

According to court documents, Hillenbrand’s sister, who he shares a residence with, contacted police on September 4 and told them her Capital One Visa card had been stolen from her apartment.

She said she contacted the company and they told her that on August 31 three fraudulent transactions were made with the card: a purchase of $423.80 at the Rite Aid at 1305 West Chester Pike, a purchase of $247.21 at AT&T Mobile, and a purchase in the amount of $20 at Touchtunes Music-Games. An additional purchase in the amount of $50 was made on September 2 at New Great Wall Chinese Restaurant in Drexel Hill.

Hillenbrand told police she confronted her brother about the crime. He denied it, but told her where her missing card was.

Police contacted the Rite Aid on September 10 and procured surveillance footage from the store that they say clearly showed Hillenbrand using his sister’s card. Later that day, Hillenbrand’s sister told police that she was contacted by Hillenbrand’s girlfriend, who admitted he used the card to pay for her phone bill at AT&T.

Thomas Hillenbrand was arraigned on September 27. He faces preliminary hearing on October 4.