US photographer Jessamyn Lovell's wallet and identity were stolen in 2009 by Erin Colleen Hart. Instead of confronting Hart, Lovell decided to surreptitiously take photographs of Hart and make them into an exhibition. Picture: Jessamyn Lovell. Source: Supplied

A photographer has turned her experience of identity theft into an incredible — and somewhat menacing — art project, publicly showing secret photos and videos she captured of the woman who stole her belongings and identity.

In 2009, US photographer Jessamyn Lovell had her wallet stolen while visiting a gallery in San Francisco. At the time, Lovell was meeting with a curator to discuss another of her installations — a project for which she took surreptitious photographs of her estranged father.

Lovell said she immediately cancelled her stolen credit cards and licence, and replaced everything in the stolen wallet. Little did she know the theft would soon turn into a legal nightmare.

Every move you make ... With some trouble, Jessamyn tracked down the woman who stole her identity, Erin Colleen Hart. Picture: Jessamyn Lovell. Source: Supplied

In 2011, she received a call from San Francisco police, telling her a woman by the name of Erin Colleen Hart had been arrested while trying to check into a high-end hotel under the name Laurel Jessamyn Lovell.

Lovell, who goes by her middle name Jessamyn, said she was asked if she knew Erin.

“I said, of course not,” she recounted toNews Corp Australia.

“Then he [the police officer] went to tell me to check my financial records and do a credit report, and to basically keep my eye out for anything strange.”

A week later, Lovell watched as traffic offences and damage bills began to appear in her letter box — mysterious bills for unpaid parking fines, letters and notices for citations, damaged rental cars and even a summons for a court appearance appeared in the her mailbox.

I’m watching you ... Jessamyn hunted down the woman who stole her identity and documented her every move. Photo by Jessamyn Lovell Source: Supplied

Identity thief ... Erin Colleen Hart stole US photographer Jessamyn Lovell's wallet and identity in 2009. Instead of confronting her, Lovell decided to take photographs and make them into an exhibition. Picture: Jessamyn Lovell. Source: Supplied

But it was the court summons in April 2011 that really scared her.

“I received a summons to appear in court for a crime that was unspecified, and after freaking. I found out that it was petty theft and they were treating me like I knew what it was, when I’d never even been arrested.”

Although the judge dismissed the charges and police reports helped prove the identity theft, it took Lovell about seven months to sort out her life.

“I retraced some of her steps, I did a lot of interviews and searched a lot of records, flew back and forth to interview witnesses, and nothing, I couldn’t find her.”

It was also the day in court which determined what would soon become “Dear Erin Hart”, an art project featuring photography, videos and printed documentation of Hart, obtained mostly by stealth.

No privacy ... Lovell takes a close up photo of Hart’s private code. Photo: Jessamyn Lovell Source: Supplied

“I was so angry and I contacted the private investigator — Pete Siragusa — and I just started searching.

“And then I decided to turn it into a project. It wasn’t revenge — it’s me as an artist, having always worked with issues of identity and class, and being interested in how we relate to each other as people.

“And I saw it as an opportunity to learn to how someone could take my identity. It was me that she did it to — yes, I was angry, but I wasn’t going to attack her or do something back”.

Being watched ... Erin Colleen Hart, an identity thief who stole US photographer Jessamyn Lovell's wallet and identity in 2011. Picture: Jessamyn Lovell. Source: Supplied

Accompanied by three private investigators, Lovell set off one afternoon in 2011 — “from noon until about 4pm” — and tracked Hart as she “walked from the bus to the gas station to get cigarettes, went to Goodwill to buy some clothes”.

“Initially, I wanted to find her and understand who she was.

“I didn’t even know how she looked like at first — I just wanted to document the process of the looking, searching and learning. Looking for her was like a full-time job.”

Later in 2011, Hart was sentenced to a year in jail for Lovell’s case and other crimes. According to Lovell, Hart also recently pleaded to another charge of identity theft and has had a restraining order filed against her by a former housemate.

Hiding ... a grainy shot of Hart, taken in San Francisco. Picture: Jessamyn Lovell. Source: Supplied

In March this year, Lovell’s private investigator found out where Hart was living. Having served her time in jail, she was out in the community again, and Lovell wanted to see her.

“I went to her house and I photographed her outside her place walking,” Lovell said.

“I wasn’t exactly inconspicuous without the PIs and the black SUVs — I was just in my rental car with photo gear, and I think I scared her away.”

With the new additions, Lovell had enough photographs, videos and printed documentation for an exhibition. The gallery from which her wallet was initially stolen — SF Camerwork — offered to host the exhibition, which first ran from September to October this year.

“I did send her an invitation to the show — I hand delivered it to her door,” Lovell said.

“I haven’t heard from her yet, but she has my details.”

Imprisoned ... Erin Hart served one year in jail for crimes against Lovell. Picture: Jessamyn Lovell. Source: Supplied

Lovell is now gearing up for the next run, coming to the Colorado Photographic Art Centre in Denver, Colorado, in April next year.

Despite the exhibition’s success, some people are not convinced Lovell has done the right thing.

In a sub-reddit justice stream, user Louche wrote: “I’m not so sure. Depending on how long the pictures went on for, I think it would bother a lot of people. Just knowing that somebody has been following you around, taking pictures for months would creep the shit out of me. Who knows what they saw. But more so I think it’s just a funny way of saying “You invaded my space, I’ll invade yours.”

Another redditer, MountainDewde, pointed out: “I think the idea was to make the thief live in fear for the rest of her life, thinking she’s being watched.”

But Lovell strongly rejects the idea of revenge, saying: “I don’t see myself as punishing her — she did it again to someone else”.

“I never intended to make a public spectacle of her — there is some relevance to the time we’re living in, and people are interested in identity theft. This woman did this to me, and I responded as an artist.”

Lovell told News Corp Australia that “the revenge thing is trying to simplify something complicated and artistic.

“I think it’s an interesting story and I’m glad people can debate about it.”

Too far? ... Some people believe Hart had been punished enough without having her “space invaded”. Picture: Jessamyn Lovell. Source: Supplied