Suspects in 10G stolen credit card shopping spree

BY BRIAN HARMON
DAILY NEWS LONG ISLAND BUREAU CHIEF

Wednesday, April 30th 2008, 4:00 AM

This wasn’t what the doctor ordered.

Two thieves stole a handful of credit cards from a Ronkonkoma physician’s purse and used the plastic to go on a $10,000 shopping spree, police said.

The women - possibly patients of the victim - brazenly offered the doctor’s credit cards at Target, Wal-Mart, Sally’s Beauty Supply and CVS stores across Long Island on April 28, buying up cosmetics,  wigs and plus-sized clothing.

Suffolk police investigators, having exhausted the rest of their investigative leads, now hope that security surveillance images taken of the two women at various stores will lead to their arrest.

“We’ve hit a dead end with our leads. So now we’re hoping for someone in the public to recognize these two particular subjects,” Detective Sgt. Richard Matero said yesterday. “We have some good surveillance images.”

The husky-looking women took the cards from the doctor’s office at the Long Island Medical Group on Hawkins Ave. in Ronkonkoma. Police did not release the physician’s name.

In just a few hours, the thieves crisscrossed Suffolk and Nassau counties, making stops at Target stores in Valley Stream, Copiague and Farmingdale; a Wal-Mart in Farmingdale, a Sally’s Beauty Supply in Valley Stream and a CVS in Seaford, cops said.

Store employees stated there may have been a third, unseen suspect named “Nell.”

Six different cards belonging to the doctor were used by the women, police said.

Detectives asked that anyone who recognizes the women from the surveillance images to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 220-TIPS.

The calls will be kept confidential, and each caller will be eligible for a $5,000 cash reward for information that leads to an arrest.