Purse theft leads to counterfeiting arrests at TIA

TAMPA -- A purse theft at a Chili's restaurant led to the arrest of two people Sunday night on charges of credit card theft and counterfeiting driver's licenses, authorities said.

Kenneth Blake and Theresa Hensle, both 39, were arrested when Tampa International Airport police responded to the restaurant, located in the C terminal, after a woman's purse was stolen about 8 p.m.

The victim found the purse shortly after. Three credit cards and prescription drugs were missing.

Meanwhile, restaurant patrons pointed investigators to Blake and Hensle, who had been sitting in the area where the purse was recovered.

Investigators said the pair offered police counterfeit driver's licenses as identification. Further questioning revealed the couple had been carrying nearly 100 counterfeit driver's licenses, blank driver's licenses, three monochrome printing rolls for making fake ID cards and two stolen credit cards.

Authorities said the stolen credit cards and checks belonged to out-of-state victims.

Jail records show Blake has a Chicago address. Hensle is listed as homeless. Both were booked into the Orient Road Jail. Blake's bail was set at $215,500. Hensle's bail was set at $220,000.

-- Casey Cora, Times staff writer