Pawn Shop "Gold Exchange" Fencing Operation busted in Aurora, CO for $425K  A jewelry dealer is one of two men accused in a theft ring worth more than $400,000. Investigators said the stolen merchandise was then sold at the Gold Exchange n Aurora. “We’re talking about Rolex watches, jewelry, necklaces and even a ring valued at $50,000,” said Deputy Attorney General Durkin. Karen Gasparyan, 30, and Mohinder Grover, 63, have been indicted in the so-called “Pawn Star” investigation. The indictments come after a year-long investigation involving the Aurora Police Department, FBI and Cherry Hills Village Police. Durkin said Gasparyan used bad checks to buy $425,000 of merchandise from local jewelry dealers. Then he would allegedly disappear after fencing the items through Grover’s Gold Exchange store. (Source cbslocal.com)

Identity theft ringleader gets 7 years prison for $375,000 credit card losses at large retail stores  Peabody, Mass., man has been sentenced to seven years prison for heading an identity theft ring that used the identities of a Florida company’s employees to cause $375,000 in credit card losses at large retail stores. When Dodge was in Florida, he met the benefits administrator for a Florida-based company and obtained from her lists of coworkers’ identity information, such as their names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers. Dodge traveled to Boston where he and at least five co-conspirators obtained false identity cards bearing Dodge’s or the co-conspirators’ pictures and the Florida company employees’ personal information. The false identity cards looked like Massachusetts drivers’ licenses and allowed the co-conspirators to pose as the employees from the Florida company. With the false identity cards, Dodge and the co-conspirators posed as the Florida company’s employees at large chain retail stores. When it came time to pay for the merchandise, Dodge and his co-conspirators lacked a working credit card number. So, they pretended to have left their store credit card at home and asked the store to remind them of the number. The stores, taken in by the false identity cards, often complied. If the identity victim had no credit account at the store, Dodge and his co-conspirators applied for a new credit account in the identity victim’s name. Again, the stores, taken in by the false identity cards, often complied. Upon obtaining a new or existing credit card number, Dodge and his co-conspirators used the account to purchase gift cards and other merchandise, such as electronics, that they could resell. The stores lost money, because Dodge and the co-conspirators did not pay the credit bills. As the group’s ringleader, Dodge directed his co-conspirators’ actions and took about 50 percent of their profits. The conspiracy netted over $375,000 in merchandise and services, with Dodge personally responsible by posing as an identity theft victim for over $212,000 of the losses. (Source newsroomamerica.com)

4 Arrested in Portage Co., WI. Retail Theft Ring  Chad Wampole, 41, Leah Luedtke, 34, and Shawnya Goetz, 34, have all been charged with retail theft and drug charges. Another man, Jahn Tinglum, 21, will be charged next month. According to court documents, the four were arrested Feb. 5 after their vehicle description matched that of a suspect vehicle from a theft complaint at Wal-Mart in Plover. An employee said he saw a man and woman push a car full items out the store, and recognized them as suspects in other theft cases. Officers were able to obtain surveillance video and recognized the two at Jahn Tinglum and Shawnya Goetz. According to the criminal complaint, the two were suspects in a Dec. 6 theft case. During an interview with police one of the suspects said they would steal items in exchange for drugs, specifically heroin and meth. (Source wsaw.com)

Police crack down on growing trend of grab-and-run heists with their ORC initiative started by Overland Park PD  Grab and runs are becoming increasingly popular for thieves, and they are not your ordinary shoplifters. "These thieves are professional. It's something they do, and it may be their job." Recent surveillance pictures show two suspects from a grab and run at Macy's at Oak Park Mall. Investigators say the same men hit the store twice exactly a week apart. They got away with close to $3,000 in stolen goods. Each time, the thieves were inside less than 20 seconds. The organized retail crime initiative started by Overland Park police allows law enforcement from both sides of the state line to work closely together to share information on suspects. They also work with loss prevention. Investigators are now closely monitoring online activity, as well as going undercover, to catch the crooks and put them out of business. What is more disturbing, police say, is as these groups get more organized, they also get more violent. "We have seen behaviors escalate in the last year. They don't want to be caught," Pierce said. (Source kctv5.com)

Tucson's newly established larceny detail along with Target LP bust female ORC suspect for six shoplifting incidents and robbery over 1 year  Brandy Ambrose, 31, was arrested two weeks ago by detectives of a newly established larceny detail as she was leaving Target. Ambrose was booked into the Pima County jail for three counts of felony shoplifting, and one count each of robbery, aggravated assault and organized retail theft. Ambrose is facing additional charges, said Widmer, adding that detectives would not elaborate on the types of items she is suspected of stealing and then reselling. Ambrose is connected to a robbery and six shoplifting incidents over a period of about one year. Detectives worked with Target loss prevention officers. (Source azstarnet.com)

Thieves make 19 purchases with stolen credit cards
Louisville Metro Police say thieves who broke into several cars in January and stole credit cards have made 19 different purchases. Clayton Chapman, 32, and a co-defendant are accused of using six stolen credit cards to make purchases at various locations in Jefferson County. According to his arrest report, Chapman and his co-defendant purchased gift cards at several places and later used to make purchases. (Source wave3.com)