Detectives say a woman was driving around Ventura County in a rented U-Haul van stealing mail, as well as items from unlocked vehicles.
Deputies investigating a series of thefts last month from vehicles in Camarillo neighborhoods started looking at surveillance video from home cameras. They discovered a rental van in multiple videos.
The van was spotted in a shopping center parking lot, and detectives set up a stakeout. They say they caught Samantha Hale of Oxnard on camera trying to use stolen credit cars to buy merchandise in a Target store.
The 34-year-old woman was arrested as she left the store. Hale is facing charges including grand theft, identity theft, mail theft, and possession of stolen property.
