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Police identify cell phone thief in Gwinnett

UPDATE: Gwinnett Police have identified the woman wanted for selling stolen cell phones at two different kiosks at Gwinnett Place Mall and Sugarloaf Mills. They credit the public's help once photos of the suspect were released by WSB Radio and other media outlets.  Check back for updates on the woman's identity and the charges she faces.

Gwinnett County police investigators are looking for a cell phone thief responsible for stealing 26 phones from the car of a Cricket Wireless store manager.

Erika Ramirez says the $5,000-worth of phones had been part of a promotional display at a Pendergrass flea market and were in a box in her car when they were stolen from her Lawrenceville driveway.

"They must have known what they were doing," she says. "I'm not sure if they followed me...because I felt like I was targeted; my neighbors didn't get anything stolen."

All the phones were taken to two different kiosks, called EcoATMs, at Gwinnett Place Mall and Sugarloaf Mills which gives money for used phones.

Cpl. Michele Pihera tells WSB's Sandra Parrish that cameras inside those machines captured detailed pictures of one young woman described a white with colored bright red hair.

The woman used Ramirez's stolen driver's licenses to complete the transaction and received between $10-$200 per phone.

"All 26 phones have been taken out of the machines and are in police custody," says Pihera.  "Our lead investigator went through each of the phones to see if there was any videos on there or any personal information that the suspects could have downloaded."

Ramirez says the box the phones were in was very large and took more than one person to lift it, so she believes several people are involved.

Anyone with information on the woman in the pictures is asked to contact Gwinnett Police or they can do so anonymously at Crimes Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS which is offering up to a  $2,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and indictment in the case.

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