Teen charged with stealing, using credit card avoids jail

Dave Rogers, The Daily News of Newburyport, Mass.
·2 min read

Mar. 14—NEWBURYPORT — A Merrimac teen who police say stole a local woman's credit card as she was being driven to an area hospital back in December avoided jail time Thursday during her appearance in Newburyport District Court.

Emily E. Crowell, 19, of Harriman Road saw a larceny from a building charge dismissed but an improper use of a credit card over $1,200 was continued without a finding for a year. Should she stay out of trouble with the law for a year, the charge will be dropped.

During the same appearance in court, Crowell saw two assault and battery charges stemming from incidents in Merrimac months early resolved as well. The assault and battery charges were continued without a finding for a year with the understanding that she remain drug and alcohol free with random screens and not abuse her victim.

Newburyport police Inspector Christopher McDonald wrote that Crowell stole a Spring Lane woman's debit card just after an ambulance whisked her away to an area hospital following a medical emergency. Crowell is the niece of the victim's friend who came to check on her during the medical emergency.

After stealing the card, Crowell made purchases, large and small, at several locations including Five Below, McDonald's, Market Basket, Victoria's Secret, Walmart, Mobil gas, and Kentucky Fried Chicken. By the time Crowell's "larceny spree" ran its course, she had spent $2,224 of the victim's money, according to McDonald's report.

McDonald was able to obtain video footage of Crowell using the stolen debit card at multiple locations, including Forever 21 and Victoria's Secret at the Rockingham Mall in Salem, New Hampshire, and Panera Bread in Newburyport.

When speaking to Crowell via phone on Jan. 10, McDonald asked if she knew why they were speaking and whether she had anything to do with the stolen debit card. Crowell said she did not know about the stolen credit card and thought they were going to discuss the earlier incidents in Merrimac.

"Ms. Crowell denied stealing a credit card and told me that she had her own debit card to make purchases," McDonald wrote in his report. "Ms. Crowell was told that I had many photographs of her using the stolen credit card and stealing a lot of money from the victim."

Crowell again denied using the debit card.

McDonald later learned that one of Crowell's friends was with her when she used the card and asked her to come to the police station to check out some of those photographs. The friend agreed to do so and positively identified Crowell, according to McDonald's report.

Dave Rogers is a reporter with the Daily News of Newburyport. Email him at: drogers@newburyportnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @drogers41008.

Dave Rogers is a reporter with the Daily News of Newburyport. Email him at: drogers@newburyportnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @drogers41008.