ROCKINGHAM — Investigators say a woman who filed a fraud report was actually the perpetrator.
According to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, 57-year-old Martha Michelle Vamper, of Rockingham, filed a report last year, claiming to be the victim of financial card theft.
Vamper allegedly reported that her debit card had been stolen and that two unauthorized transactions had been made at a Hamlet ATM, showing investigators the alleged transactions on her bank statement.
One of the investigators reportedly took photos of the suspect from retrieved surveillance video to see if Vamper recognized the person.
When Vamper denied knowing the woman in the video, the investigator reportedly suspected the suspect was actually Vamper.
Investigators say RCSO video shows Vamper was wearing the same clothing when she brought in her bank records as the day the ATM transactions were made.
Vamper was charged with a felony count of attempting to obtain property by false pretenses and a misdemeanor count of filing a false report to a police station.
She was released on a written promise to appear in court, with her first appearance scheduled for March 28.
Online court records show Vamper has no other pending charges in the state.
Records with the N.C. Department of Adult Correction show Vamper was convicted of cheating for property or services in 1994. She was initially given probation, which was revoked, leading to 17 months of incarceration.
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
NOTE: This story was corrected to include Vamper’s prior convictions. 5:25 p.m. 3-22-24.
