Woman charged in Memorial Hospital thefts

TAMPA -- Police have arrested one woman and are searching for another they said stole checkbooks and credit cards from patients and a visitor at Memorial Hospital.

Monique Little, 45, at left, of 4401 Webster St. is charged with fraudulent use of a credit card and third degree grand theft after she was caught on tape shopping with the stolen cards at TJ Maxx and Shoe Carnival at Brandon Regency Plaza, according to Andrea Davis, spokeswoman for the Tampa Police Department.

Police released the video Wednesday and tips poured into the Tampa Police Department. Little was identified as the thief several times. She's already served a prison sentence for similar charges, Davis said.

Two elderly women who were patients at Memorial Hospital, at 2901 W Swann Ave., between Sept. 12 and Sept. 25 were discharged from the hospital and discovered their credit cards and checkbooks missing from their wallets, Davis said.

Another elderly woman who was visiting friends had her wallet disappear. Little is not an employee of Memorial Hospital.

"They spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars," Davis said. "But they were really smart about it because they only spent in $250 increments so they wouldn't send up red flags with the credit card companies."

Davis said the suspects were caught on video in the stores with a 7- or 8-year-old girl with them as they made the purchases.

"Right now no one is taking responsibility for the little girl," Davis said. "So detectives are working to try and find out who her parents are."

Little is cooperating with police and has been taken to Orient Road Jail, where no bail has been set.

Robbyn Mitchell, Times staff writer

Photo (2006) from Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office