Clovis woman tries to visit boyfriend in jail, gets arrested for alleged auto theft

A Clovis woman was arrested Tuesday for alleged auto theft after members of Fresno’s Help Eliminate Auto Theft task force located a stolen BMW in downtown Fresno.

Cynthia Abate, 41, was booked into the Fresno County Jail and faces allegations of auto theft, identity theft and drug possession.

Investigators determined she had used a false name and credit card to rent the car from a car rental agency and had no intention of ever returning it. Inside the car, officers found drugs and stolen credit cards. Abate also possessed homemade credit cards stamped with fake names.

Officers followed the BMW to a parking area on M Street in front of the Fresno County Jail, and they learned that Abate was going to the jail to visit her boyfriend. He was arrested in May, and is serving time for auto and identity theft.

The stolen BMW will be returned to the rental agency.

This story was originally published July 21, 2015 at 5:09 PM with the headline "Clovis woman tries to visit boyfriend in jail, gets arrested for alleged auto theft."