POINT PLEASANT — Two Point Pleasant residents were arrested Tuesday after they took a person’s identity and debit card number to make a purchase on the Internet.

Kristin Roberts, 26, and James T. Boles, 29, were arrested by the Point Pleasant Police Department for identity theft. Roberts, who was arrested by Patrolman Mitch Waugh, was also charged with computer fraud, according to Capt. Joe Veith, who is the investigating officer. Boles also received an additional charge of accessory before theft.

Veith said the investigation began when a resident, who had not used her debit card for a period of time, went to the police department after discovering her bank account had additional charges that she knew she had not made.

Tracing her steps, Veith said the resident remembered she had used the card at a local business. Beginning his investigation there, Veith and the manager looked at a security video when they saw Boles, a former employee, copying down the resident’s debit card numbers.

After getting a warrant, Boles was later arrested. After obtaining more information, officers were able to get another warrant to arrest Roberts.

They appeared before Magistrate Gail Roush who set bond at $20,000 for each. They were then taken to the Western Regional Jail in Barboursville.

Veith said additional charges against the pair are pending.

With the economic recession continuing, there are some who will try to get goods or services by illegal means.

This has the police urging residents who use a debit card to check their bank accounts often.

“People need to pay attention to their bank account,” Veith warned. “They can go online and check them daily or every other day. It is easy to do.”

He said with the economy, it does not take a lot for someone who wants to get credit for themselves to use someone else’s identity and that residents should check for transactions against the receipts of their purchases.

Veith said the local banks are a big help to law enforcement when it comes to these types of crime.

Should any resident discover purchases they have not made, Vieth encouraged them to not only speak with their bank but to call their local law enforcement agency.