College student detained in case of stolen identity

CARROLL COUNTY, Ga. — A teenage college student says she was stunned when police confronted her at school, detained her and said she had warrants out for her arrest.

Police say they believe it was a case of stolen identity.

“I was like, ‘Wait, what? I have not been stealing cell phones,’” said Jennifer Roddy, 18.

Roddy is a student at West Georgia Technical College in Carroll County. She says she went through a frightening experience on Tuesday when she was questioned by police on campus.

“I was shocked. I was thinking, ‘Oh my God, why is this happening?’” she said.

She says an officer at the school said there were three warrants out for her arrest; one for stealing cell phones. She says she immediately called her dad, Kevin Roddy, who is a retired Villa Rica detective and patrolman.

“I was shocked. She called me up and said I’m about to go to jail,” Kevin Roddy said.

Carrollton police say a woman captured in surveillance video is also named Jennifer Roddy, but they say when they questioned her for stealing phones, she somehow obtained the other Jennifer Roddy's personal information and gave it to police.

“(Officers) followed her at college and detained her until detectives got there. They looked at Jen and said this isn’t the right girl, not the one we talked to,” Kevin Roddy said.

Carrolton police are now looking for the other Jennifer Roddy and her boyfriend, Stewart Schell, who has a past criminal record.

Jennifer Roddy told us when she was enrolling in college all of her personal information was lost so she had to re-apply. She thinks that's how this woman got her information to give to police.

WSBTV