Samaritan handed bill for $2,500

A couple used a credit card number that wasn't their own to purchase about $2,500 worth of merchandise in Sisters last June. It's a tale of either gullibility or trust, depending on how you look at it.

The crimes, if that is what they were, took place June 5 when a couple went first into Mountain Supply in Sisters and charged about $1,760 worth of merchandise to a credit card number. Not to a card -- they didn't have the card. But to a credit card number.

A man also called Desert Wings Travel in Sisters the same day, saying that his daughter and son-in-law were traveling to Alaska and to charge the $1,190 for the two tickets on his credit card, according to police. The tickets were for travel by Daniel and Alberta Dimambro.

The card in question belonged to Walter Krocek of Redmond. Mr. Krocek called Mountain Supply when the charges showed up on his credit card statement. He also talked to Sisters Police, who noticed the charges to Desert Wings on the staement.

Krocek told police that he met Daniel and "Eve" Dimambro at his church in Sisters in May. The couple had hitchhiked into town.

"They needed a place to stay, so I invited them to stay at my house until they could get back on their feet," Krocek told police.

Krocek was a paraplegic confined to a wheelchair. The couple did odd jobs for him around the house, and Daniel helped tune up Krocek's cars. Krocek told police he believed that is how Dimambro got his credit card number. They would come into Sisters together for auto parts.

Since it was difficult for Krocek to to get out of the car, he would give Dimambro his credit card and tell him to sign his name. If a clerk objected, they would bring the card out to the car and Krocek would sign it.

Then, on June 4, another friend from the church brought Daniel and Alberta Dimambro into Sisters, where they spent the night. Krocek thought the couple was going to Colorado where they said they had family.

The next day the Dimambro's allegedly used the credit card to purchase the goods and tickets to Alaska.

However, in August, Daniel Dimambro wrote Krocek a letter, dated the "19 day of the 8th month," apologizing for the delay in getting in touch and sending a postal money order for $400. This was a partial payment for the charges, Dimambro wrote, which should be added to the $400 credit he earned fixing Krocek's vehicles.

Another $50 was sent at a later date, according to Sisters Police.

"The suspect seems to think he and Mr. Krocek had a verbal agreement that they could use the credit card. There was no such agreement," said Sisters Police Sergeant Rich Shawver.

The case was sent to the Deschutes County District Attorney in June, and again in August. According to Sergeant Shawver, they had contact with the D.A.'s office again on Monday, November 13, and the grand jury may be ready to indict on theft charges.

However, even if indicted, Sergeant Shawver felt it was unlikely the couple would be extradited back to Oregon.