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Catawba Co, NC: Organized Retail Crime Ring sold $12 million
in stolen drugs, beauty products
A 66-year-old Catawba County man was sentenced to eight years in prison this
week for what prosecutors said was his role as the leader of an organized retail
crime ring. The ring sold and distributed at least $12 million in stolen
over-the-counter drugs and health-and-beauty products, Acting U.S. Attorney Jill
Westmoreland Rose said. In April 2014, a federal jury convicted Terrell resident
Steve Hale of interstate transportation of stolen goods conspiracy, interstate
transportation of stolen goods, making false statements on income tax forms,
failure to collect employee income and FICA taxes, and obstruction of justice.
As part of his sentencing, Hale also was ordered to pay a $3,100 special
assessment, forfeit a sports boat and $332,195 in seized funds, and pay
restitution to his victims. Hale was the last of eight defendants convicted and
sentenced in "Operation Cash Back," a multi-agency investigation that began in
September 2010. His co-defendants were previously sentenced to prison terms
ranging from 1 1/2 to seven years. Investigators seized $29,000 in cash, 20
motor vehicles and two real estate properties and obtained forfeiture money
judgments of $7 million.
charlotteobserver.com
 Nampa,
Idaho: Police arrest 2 in multi-state credit card fraud scheme & recovered $27k
in merchandise
Police said they were dispatched on Monday to the 16000 block of Marketplace
Boulevard after. They said two people bought more than $6,000 in merchandise
from a store in the area. Loss-prevention staff monitored the transaction and
identified the purchasers as the two suspects in fraudulent credit card use at
the Nampa store's affiliate in Pocatello.
Police said that by the time officers arrived, the suspects had moved on to a
sporting goods store. Police said the two were defrauding that store of more
than $2,800 in merchandise.
Police said the suspects' car was identified in a parking lot, and they arrested
32-year-old Alberto Miguel Torres-Castillo of Virginia and 32-year-old
Zuatney Gonzalez of Florida. Officers said they seized 15 stolen or
counterfeited credit cards from Torres-Castillo and 24 stolen or counterfeited
credit cards from Gonzalez. Police said they also recovered more than $19,000
of merchandise purchased with the fraudulent credit cards in Pocatello,
Meridian, Twin Falls, Idaho Falls and Bellevue Wash. The investigation is on
going.
ktvb.com
 Costa
Mesa, CA: Bloomingdale's Smash & Grab at South Coast Plaza; $100,000 in Gucci
goods stolen
Three hours before dawn Wednesday, a trio of cars and a U-Haul truck rolled
through the darkness into a South Coast Plaza parking lot, stopping just east of
a glass door leading to Bloomingdale's department store. Wearing hooded
sweatshirts to hide their identities, eight to 10 people then piled out of the
vehicles, smashed through the glass and - bypassing products from Tory Burch and
Burberry and even diamond necklaces - stocked up on Gucci purses, expensive
watches and jewelry. After about five minutes, police said, the crew got back in
their vehicles carrying bags filled with about $100,000 worth of accessories
before fleeing into the night. South Coast Plaza security officers followed the
U-Haul for a short time as it drove out of the parking lot, said Costa Mesa
Police Lt. Greg Scott. Police believe the bandits made their escape northbound
on the 405 freeway.
ocregister.com
Millburn, NJ : Salvatore Ferragamo store hit for $7,150 in merchandise
On Sept. 22, police were called to the mall's Salvatore Ferragamo store on a
theft report. Store personnel reported a female and male, both described as in
their 20s, entered the store and the female asked to try on a pair of boots. The
salesman went to the stockroom and upon returning saw both the man and woman had
left. According to police, a review of the store's surveillance videotape showed
the couple concealing four handbags and two belts, valued at $7,150, in a
Bloomingdale's shopping bag and running out of the store.
northjersey.com
Cottage Grove, WI: Traffic Stop leads to Felony Theft charge; nearly $3,400 in
Home Depot & Woodman's merchandise recovered
A traffic stop in the Village
of Cottage Grove Wednesday afternoon resulted in the recovery of thousands of
dollars in stolen merchandise according to a release from the Dane County
Sheriff's Office. Authorities say a deputy initiated a traffic stop for improper
plates just after 2:00 p.m. They say the driver, 25-year-old Andrew Galica of
Milwaukee had a suspended license. Authorities say Galica consented to a search
of his vehicle. The deputy said the search of Galica's vehicle revealed a number
of power tools still in the original boxes and an excessive amount of unopened
bottles of alcohol. Galica admitted to stealing $2392 worth of power tools from
Home Depot and $900 worth of liquor from Woodman's.
nbc15.com
Millburn, NJ Saks Fifth Ave. at Short Hills apprehends man with $845 of cologne
Police were called to the Saks Fifth Avenue store at the mall Sept. 27 on a
report of a shoplifter in custody. Saks personnel reported Derick Rollins, 56,
of East Orange, was observed concealing several men's fragrances valued at $845
and leaving the store without paying. Police arrested Rollins and charged him
with shoplifting. He was turned over to the Livingston Police Department on an
active shoplifting warrant.
northjersey.com
Phoenix mom caught shoplifting $250 of Legos, child found home alone
A Phoenix mother was arrested Monday after admitting to stealing $253 worth of
Legos from Target. Court documents show Leigh Turner was with her 8-year-old
daughter when she shoplifted the Lego products from the store. Store security
was able to get her license plate number, and officers responded to the home.
When they arrived they found Turner's 8-year-old daughter home by herself. After
police read Turner her rights, she admitted to stealing the Legos. She also
admitted to pawning them at a children's thrift store for money. Turner was
arrested on shoplifting and endangerment charges.
abc15.com
 UK:
Gang of professional thieves jailed thanks to sharp eyed B&Q cashier
The three men travelled from London to the South West to carry out a series of
raids on the DIY stores in which they removed toilet units from their boxes and
filled them up with more valuable items. They then wheeled them through the
checkout, paying just $80 for the toilet while stealing $3,000 worth of smoke
alarms and Yale locks. The gang all came from Kent and South London and two of
them have previously carried out identical thefts at other stores around
Britain, Exeter Crown Court were told. They were part of a wider scam which is
thought to have cost B&Q tens of thousands of dollars and they were caught after
staff were alerted to be vigilant. They struck three times in the West Country,
stealing more than $3,000 worth of goods at Launceston and fleeing empty handed
at Newton Abbot when a member of staff became suspicious. They were caught when
a quick witted cashier at the Exmouth branch of B&Q noticed the hand holds on
the side of a large box had not been pushed in and that tape appeared to have
been re-sealed.
exeterexpressandecho.co.uk |
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