Michigan State Police needs help identifying ORC ring in Bay and Saginaw counties  Michigan State Police is asking for the public's help in identifying between four and six suspects accused of fraud. "Tens of thousands of dollars." That's how much money Michigan State Police Lt. David Kaiser said a ring of thieves scammed from local stores. "They're buying Visa gift cards and loading the cards to the maximum amount and they're doing so in a fraudulent manner," Lt. Kaiser said. While Lt. Kaiser said he cannot tell TV5 exactly how the thieves are defrauding stores until a security mechanism is put in place statewide, he did tell us the scam artists are targeting larger retail stores in Bay County and the Saginaw area. As for the suspects, MSP is on the hunt for three or four females and one or two male accomplices. MSP said the theft ring is using two getaway vehicles when committing the frauds. Lt. Kaiser hopes Mid-Michigan will lead MSP to the suspects and, therefore, put an end to the scam. wnem.com

Suspect in Wal-Mart $1,700 Nicorette thefts jailed in Armstrong Co, PA
A Fayette County man was taken to the Armstrong County Jail on Wednesday after being charged with stealing $1,700 worth of nicotine replacement products from Wal-Mart in East Franklin twice in November. Jonathan Allen Casteel, 27, of Uniontown, is accused of removing security tags from packages of Nicorette brand patches and gum from Wal-Mart at Hilltop Plaza on Nov. 23. Police put the value of thefts at valued at about $1,200. Store surveillance recorded Casteel's actions, according to a criminal complaint filed by East Franklin police officer Robert Gahagan. In an earlier case, Casteel is accused of taking 14 packages of Nicorette gum, valued at $500, on Nov. 11, police said. triblive.com

Group of thieves use distraction to commit theft at Walmart in Lindale, TX
Police say a group of thieves using diversionary tactics, such as sitting down in a checkout line, allowed their cohorts to run from the Lindale Walmart with totes full of tobacco products. Video images show two of the group of men running out the business' front doors with full bags just after 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Lindale Police Sgt. Chad McElyea said the stolen cigarettes total more than $1,500, and that makes the crime a felony. tylerpaper.com

Group of Dillard's shoplifters nabbed in Salina, KS
Salina Police have yet to request charges against five people involved in shoplifting Tuesday evening. Captain Mike Sweeney said three men and two women went into Dillard's at the Central Mall about 8:45pm and began grabbing up large amounts of adult and children's clothing. Store employees got in front of the shoplifters, and did not allow them to leave. They dropped the merchandise and left the store. A short time later, two men and a woman from the shoplifting group came back into the store, took the clothing and left. Employees got a description and license plate number of the car, which was stopped in Harvey County about 10:45pm. salinapost.com

Shoplifting Suspect rescued from Quinebaug River in Lisbon, CT
A shoplifting suspect fleeing from police fell in the Quinebaug River on Tuesday in Lisbon, and troopers pulled her to safety, police said. State police said they received a call at 11:35 a.m. of someone shoplifting at Wal-Mart at Lisbon Landing. Melissa Latronica, 30, of Cromwell, had fled the store carrying numerous items by the time troopers arrived, police said. Using a police dog, troopers tracked her behind Wal-Mart to a heavily wooded area along the river, police said, where they saw her running along the top of a steep embankment in an attempt to escape. Latronica fell down the embankment into the water, police said, and she was submerged when troopers pulled her out. norwichbulletin.com

Trumbull, CT Woman Charged With Stealing Nearly $1K In Goods From Whole Foods