Antioch Township woman denies running up $6,000 in charges using stolen credit card

An Antioch Township woman accused of running up more that $6,000 in charges on a credit card taken from a stolen purse pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Lake County circuit court.

Lisa Meredith, 52, of the 26000 block of Channel Avenue, faces up to five years in prison if convicted of identity theft and forgery.

Assistant State’s Attorney Scott Turk said a 64-year-old Antioch woman told police her purse was stolen at a grocery store in the village on Nov. 18 of last year.

There were three credit cards in the purse, Turk said, and police later discovered one had been used to make $4,039 worth of purchases at Walgreens, $1,216 at Wal-Mart and $829 of online purchases at Ticketmaster.

Police received an anonymous tip that Meredith had been heard bragging she had stolen a purse, and took a photograph of her to the Walgreens where the credit card was used.

The clerk identified Meredith as the person who had made the purchases, and she was arrested a few hours later, Turk said.

Associate Judge George Bridges scheduled a trial of the case for May 29. He ordered Meredith, who is free on $5,000 bond, to appear in court April 30.