CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. —
A man being called the Romeo Bandit is accused of stealing credit cards to wine and dine women.
Rene Figueredo, 45, went before a judge Thursday. He faces two counts of entering auto, two counts of burglary, two counts of financial transaction card theft and financial transaction card fraud in Morrow.
He's accused of stealing credit cards from cars at fitness gyms, including LA Fitness in Morrow and Gold's Gym in Stockbridge. Morrow police said surveillance video shows him using the stolen cards to buy two dozen roses at a Publix. They said they also caught him on video using the cards to buy dinner at a Red Lobster with an unidentified woman.
Channel 2’s Tom Jones asked Figueredo's girlfriend if the roses purchased Feb. 25 were for her.
"No, I got dozens of roses for Valentine's Day, and they were long-stemmed. Thank you," Michelle Blystone said.
Blystone thinks the charges are bogus. She said a “be on the lookout” flyer distributed by Henry County police doesn't even look like her boyfriend.
"You can't see the guy that's in the picture. As a matter of fact, you can't make out any features on that guy in that picture," she said.
As for the dinner he is accused of buying a woman with the stolen cards, Blystone said, "That's impossible because the dinners, he spends with me. We live together. How are you going to take somebody else to dinner if I'm cooking dinner for you?"
Figueredo also faces charges out of Henry County. He was arrested and charged with entering auto and financial transaction card fraud Tuesday.
Blystone said she has documents that prove Figueredo was at home when some of the crimes took place. Two documents show a moving company scheduled a pick-up at her home and a furniture company scheduled a delivery on the same day that one of the crimes took place. Blystone said Figueredo was there to meet the visitors.
"It's got to be someone else, because you can't be in two places at one time," she said.
Police said Figueredo also faces similar charges in East Point. A Clayton County judge gave him a $36,500 bond.
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