On November 29, 2016, Deputy J.J. Kreider and Sergeant E.D. Chinault responded to larceny calls at Panera Bread locations at 24 South Gateway Drive and 1005 Stafford Marketplace, respectively. In both instances, the victims advised their wallets were stolen and a credit card was used at nearby Target stores. Still photos of a female who was using the credit card were obtained and a video also revealed a male and female leaving the Target parking lot in a beige-colored sedan.

Detective A.R. Spotts began investigating the case and soon learned the same suspects had engaged in similar acts throughout Northern Virginia. Utilizing registration information provided by the Fairfax County Police Department, Detective Spotts determined the perpetrator used a vehicle rented from a company based in Washington D.C. Detective Spotts visited the rental establishment and located the automobile used in the Fairfax incident. Several unused Visa gift cards were recovered from the vehicle. Further investigation revealed that the female suspect rented the sedan, using an identity not of her own. The female then traveled to Stafford to commit the crime.

On December 16, 2016, Fairfax County Police Department detectives identified Chaquita Lanise Speight as the suspect after searching a rental car she and a companion failed to return. Following the execution of a search warrant, Speight and her associate were arrested near a Panera Bread in Fairfax County. Following the apprehension, Speight confessed to her involvement in numerous larcenies and credit card crimes committed throughout the region.

On February 6, 2017, Chaquita Speight was indicted by a Stafford County Grand Jury on charges of Petit Larceny, Grand Larceny, Credit Card Larceny, Credit Card Fraud, Identity Theft, Obtaining Money/Good/Services by False Pretense, Forgery and Uttering.

The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the following agencies and businesses for assistance with this case: Fairfax County Police Department, Loudon County Sheriff’s Office, City of Manassas Police Department, Prince William County Police Department, City of Fredericksburg Police Department, Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office, Target and Panera Bread.