Woman arrested for auto theft while trying to visit boyfriend in Fresno County Jail

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A woman is now behind bars and facing several charges after trying to visit her boyfriend in the Fresno County Jail.

Members of the Fresno Help Eliminate Auto Theft (HEAT) Task Force located a stolen BMW in Downtown Fresno on Tuesday afternoon and followed it to the parking area in front of the jail. They spoke with the driver, identified as Cynthia Abate, 41, of Clovis, and determined she had used a false name and credit card to rent the car and had no intentions of returning it, according to the Fresno County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities say they found drugs and stolen credit cards inside the BMW. They say Abate also had homemade credit cards, which were stamped with fake names.

The sheriff's office says Abate told officers that she was heading to the jail to visit her boyfriend, who was arrested in May for auto and identity theft. Abate was arrested and booked into the Fresno County Jail on charges of auto theft, identity theft and drug possession.

The stolen vehicle was returned to the rental company that owns it.