Denise Louise Gunderson, 50, who is better known as the Bridal Bandit, pleaded guilty Feb. 10 to two counts of grand theft and two counts of identity theft that involved stealing credit cards from brides during their weddings.
Gunderson, who is also known as Denise Burns, has agreed to accept a 7-year term in state prison. She will be sentenced March 24 in San Diego Superior Court.
Gunderson dressed up like a guest at weddings at golf courses in Coronado, Santee and Fallbrook and slipped inside unsecured changing rooms and stole credit cards from brides and wedding attendants. She was also charged with stealing a wedding coordinator’s wallet.
Court records say Gunderson used the credit cards at Target, TJ Maxx, Costco, CVS Pharmacy, grocery stores and service stations. She has a criminal record of thefts in which she took wallets from teachers at schools.
Her photo from security cameras was released by the sheriff’s department and she fled the area. Gunderson was arrested in Las Vegas Dec. 7 after she took a wallet from a church. She remains in the Las Colinas Women’s Detention Facility on $250,000 bail.
