A Ceres grandmother had her teenage grandson arrested last week after he wiped out her checking account by using her debit card to make $2,500 worth of video gaming equipment.

Joshua Essman, 19, of Ceres, was arrested and charged with theft by use of a credit/debit card after his grandmother checked her bank statement and found the unauthorized purchases made against her balance of about $1,800.

The 59-year-old victim, who lives in the 1700 block of Northwood Heights Lane, saw the purchases she didn't make and contacted police about identity theft at 11:48 a.m. on July 14. According to Ceres Police Department spokesman Sgt. Jose Berber, she realized that her live-in grandson made the purchases.

Berber said the man used the card to buy a Xbox 350 and a "bunch of games." He told police that he planned on paying her back "once he got a job."

Additional theft of financial abuse could come from the District Attorney's office, said Sgt. Berber.