Police Arrest Suspects for Identity Theft and Conspiracy
Published on August 28, 2025
August 28, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Watch Commander
Phone: (626) 403-7265
Email: wc@southpasadenaca.gov
Subject: Police Arrest Suspects for Identity Theft and Conspiracy
South Pasadena, CA – On Monday, August 25, 2025, at about 9:00 a.m., South Pasadena police officers were contacted regarding a theft investigation. The victim related she parked her vehicle in the 600 Block of Stoney Drive and left the vehicle unlocked and unattended for a short time. Upon return, the victim noticed her purse had been stolen from the vehicle.
The victim stated she received notification that one of her recently stolen credit cards had been unlawfully used at a local business in the 700 Block of Mission Street. The victim responded to that business and was given access to surveillance footage of the two suspects utilizing her credit card. In addition, the vehicle and license plate of the suspects’ vehicle was also captured on the business’s surveillance system and provided to officers.
South Pasadena police officers and detectives worked quickly to identify one of the suspects from prior contacts and enter their vehicle into the Flock system as a wanted vehicle. At approximately 6:00 p.m., officers received an alert from the Flock automated license plate reader system of the suspect vehicle re-entering the city. Officers responded and stopped the suspect vehicle, occupied by three individuals, near Fremont Avenue and Mission Street.
Two of the occupants, identified as Valerie Martinez, 38, and Kristy Pohl, 41, both of Los Angeles, were positively identified as being the suspects in the surveillance footage utilizing the victim’s stolen credit card. Both were arrested for P.C. 530(a), Identity Theft, P.C.182(a)(1), Conspiracy and P.C. 666.1, Felony Theft with prior convictions. They were booked and are being housed at the Pasadena City Jail pending arraignment. The third occupant from the vehicle was released at the scene.
A subsequent search of the suspect’s vehicle revealed significant additional stolen property including purses, backpacks, credit cards, driver’s licenses, a laptop computer, camera equipment, and professional power tools and equipment. Detectives have identified numerous other victims and anticipate filing additional charges with the District Attorney’s Office in this case.
Anyone with additional information about this incident is urged to call the South Pasadena Police Department at (626) 403-7270. If you would like to provide an anonymous tip, you can call “Crime Stoppers” at (800) 222-TIPS (8477).
For more information about the City of South Pasadena, visit www.southpasadenaca.gov. Follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram at @southpasadenaca.
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