Money doesn&39;t have to be boring! Each week, CreditBloggers.com takes a look at the lighter side of the personal finance world in a series called Funny Money Friday.

A large percentage of identity theft crimes are committed by anonymous fraudsters that are never identified or caught.  For a victim, these loose strings can be one of the most frustrating parts of their experience. Usually, it is hard to get a sense of closure with identity theft crimes. But one woman in California had a different experience.

San Francisco&39;s Karen Lodrick had been an identity theft victim for six months following a mail theft incident. Her accounts had been taken over by a thief to the tune of over $9,000. But luckily for Karen her identity thief was a local - a neighbor in fact. And in April, she ran into the fake "Karen Lodrick" at a Starbucks.

The subsequent two-mile foot chase had Karen running all over the streets of San Francisco with 911 on the line via cell phone. Thanks to her pursuit, the identity thief was eventually caught hiding in a Walgreen&39;s parking garage and was arrested by police. "She was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Harold Kahn to the 44 days she had already served in county jail and three years&39; probation." Lodrick&39;s bravery so impressed the police that she was invited to become an San Francisco officer.

How&39;s that for a happy ending! You can read the whole story of Karen Lodrick&39;s identity theft caper online from the San Francisco Chronicle. Happy Friday!