Hunter
03/18/22
An Iowa City man who allegedly entered a sleeping acquaintance’s unlocked Scott Boulevard residence and stole his debit and credit cards has been arrested after using them to withdraw cash and make purchases.
Police say the incident began sometime in the 6pm hour on December 15th. 36-year-old Pedro Gaona of Giblin Drive allegedly took three cards from the man and subsequently used them that night and the next morning.
He first reportedly went to the GreenState Credit Union branch on Muscatine Avenue at 7:50pm and took $200 cash from an ATM. Gaona allegedly got the man’s PIN number by secretly recording him entering the number with his cellphone.
At 8:25, he’s accused of using a card at the Hills Bank branch on South Gilbert, taking another $200. Gaona returned to the same location that night at 12:15 and withdrew another $200. He then went to the GreenState branch on Mormon Trek an hour later and withdrew $200.
Gaona then went to Walmart on the 16th at 8am and purchased socks, underwear, a miscellaneous memorabilia item and got $40 cash back using the man’s stolen card, for a total of just under $134.
The victim, who lives alone, did not give Gaona permission to enter his home, and identified him from a photo from Walmart surveillance because he knows Gaona personally.
A warrant was issued January 31st; he was taken into custody Thursday afternoon. Gaona is charged with 5 counts of Unauthorized Use of a Credit Card and one count of 2nd degree Burglary. If convicted on all counts, he faces up to twenty years in prison.