El Paso woman charged with stealing credit cards from inside secure Planet Fitness locker

Update: Officials with the El Paso County Sheriff's Office recommend getting the strongest and thickest lock you can to secure your belongings while working out at the gym.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Ruth Angelica Barraza is accused of stealing from people working out at several different Planet Fitness locations across El Paso.

El Paso County Sheriff's deputies got a report from a gym-goer May 6, 2024 at the 13600 Gateway West Planet Fitness location. The woman told detectives she had locked her personal items inside a locker while she worked out. When she got done, she found the lock removed and several items from inside her purse, including credit cards, stolen.

The credit cards were quickly used several times at a Ross store. Detectives compared surveillance footage from the Ross to check-in history at the Planet Fitness and tracked down Barraza, according to officials.

"After a thorough investigation it was discovered Ruth Barraza had committed 10 different thefts at five Planet Fitness gym locations," officials stated Monday. They did not provide additional details on the other alleged thefts.

Barraza is charged with at least three counts of credit card or debit card abuse, according to El Paso Jail records.