IDAHO FALLS, Idaho. – A 50-year-old California woman has been arrested as a suspect in an attempted theft at a credit union after she was delivered to police by an Uber driver. 

According to the Idaho Falls Police Department, Wendy Bess, 50, attempted to steal from several financial institutions, including at a branch of Idaho Central Credit Union, where employees triggered a panic alarm. 

Bess has charged with three felony counts of burglary, felonies for grand theft and attempted grand theft, attempting to elude an officer, aggravated battery, and leaving the scene of an accident, the East Idaho News reported. 

According to a news release from the Idaho Falls Police Department, dispatch received an alert after 6 p.m. that a robbery or panic alarm had been triggered at ICCU. 

“Emergency communications officers spoke with a bank employee who confirmed that a woman, later identified as Bess, was inside the bank trying to withdraw a large amount of money from an account that did not belong to her, using a stolen ID,” the East Idaho News reported. “When the first officer arrived, he reportedly saw a white GMC Terrain parked in front of the bank. As the officer walked toward the bank, Bess was leaving and started to get into the car.”

Suspect Dragged Policeman

The report said that as Bess allegedly attempted to drive away, she refused a police officer’s orders to stop and dragged him approximately 50 feet. A high-speed chase followed that the police eventually gave up, before the vehicle was found abandoned.

“While officers were searching, an Uber driver pulled his car up to an officer and said that he thought his passenger might be the suspect,” the East Idaho News reported. “The Uber driver said he had picked up Bess, who had ordered an Uber, at the tree line just south of where the officers were. Noting the suspicious circumstances and police in the area, he brought his car and the suspect to the closest officers.”

Alleged Admission

According to the report, Bess allegedly admitted to police she had been driving the vehicle and was involved in the attempted theft.

“Through investigation, detectives learned she had allegedly successfully, but fraudulently withdrawn $10,000 from another bank and failed to make a withdrawal from a third bank earlier in the day,” the report stated.

Bess was booked into the Bonneville County Jail on a $200,000 bail. She is expected to appear for a preliminary hearing on June 24. If convicted, she could face up to 50 years in prison, East Idaho News added.