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 Jared's
'Smash & Grab' could be part of theft ring
The Detroit-area men arrested in an Asheville jewelry heist earlier this month
could be linked to a string of brazen thefts that began last year and have
occurred in stores throughout the eastern United States, according to federal
agents. Many of the cases have been tied to a Detroit street gang known as the
Red Wings, and suspects - several of them already arrested and indicted - are
accused of stealing millions of dollars in jewelry. Federal investigators are
trying to determine if that ring came to Asheville on Nov. 8, when two men
wearing hooded sweatshirts broke glass jewelry cases with sledgehammers at Jared
Galleria of Jewelry while a third held open the door of the Tunnel Road store.
The men made off with an estimated $500,000 in loose diamonds and jewelry in a
red Dodge Caravan, which was soon after spotted by a sheriff's deputy, leading
to a chase and their arrests. The "smash and grab" tactic has been used in store
robberies in states from Michigan to North Carolina, and law enforcement
officers have examined 50 similar thefts that occurred in 2014 and 2015,
according to a federal criminal complaint filed in Asheville. Federal
investigators in Detroit are aware of the Asheville case and any possible ties
are under investigation, said Christopher Graveline, an assistant United States
attorney there and chief of the violent and organized crime unit.
citizen-times.com
Meza, AZ: Operation Fade to Black Friday in effect for holidays
Just in time for Black Friday, police and retailers are cracking down on
shoplifters this holiday season. The City of Mesa and the Salt River Police
Department are teaming up with the East Valley Fusion Center for the third year
of Operation Fade to Black Friday. Undercover detectives and retail loss
prevention officers are working in Mesa and at Scottsdale Pavillions to target
shoplifters, booster organizations, fencing locations and repeat offenders. Fade
to Black Friday kicked off last week. So far, 35 people have been arrested,
eight active organized retail theft investigations were created and more than
$4,000 worth of stolen merchandise was recovered.
kpho.com
 Avon,
NY: Two Cuban nationals arrested in massive Identity Theft Ring based in Florida
When the Livingston County Sheriff pulled over a black Mustang with Florida
plates in Friday, he said he knew the men inside were likely tied to a massive
identity theft ring that has been under investigation for some time. "With the
amount of purchases they've been making it's quite a large operation," said
Investigator Brad Schneider. The alleged identity theft ties back to credit card
skimmers found on gas pumps around Monroe County in October. The skimming
devices stole credit card and identity information. A short time later, victims
began noticing fraudulent charges. "We went to investigate a purchase at a local
retailer and we found $9,300 of merchandise charged to a fraudulent card,' said
Inv. Schneider. The men arrested Friday are identified as Juan Pablo Aguila and
Frank Toledo. "These two individuals went into the Tops Market in Avon and to
the Dollar General with fraudulent credit cards," said Avon Police Chief Gary
Bennedict. "They were actually able to make a purchase at the Dollar General and
then they went to the Tops and the cards didn't work." During their arrest,
police say they confiscated other credit cards with fake names but using actual
bank accounts of the identity theft victims from Monroe and Livingston Counties.
"We've identified some people who've been involved in this, and we've identified
that they came into New York State from Miami; they're Cuban natives," said Inv.
Schneider.
13wham.com
 The
Villages, FL: Shoplifter with wire cutters busted at Belk, violating probation
on burglary charges
A 37-year-old resident of the Village of Mallory Square is being held at the
Lake County Jail after violating his probation on a burglary charge. Sean
Vincent Sheehan was arrested Nov. 18 after he allegedly attempted to shoplift
items from Belk in La Plaza Grande shopping center in The Villages. He allegedly
attempted to conceal nearly $200 in merchandise in a Belk bag, according to an
arrest report from the Lady Lake Police Department. He was found to have a wire
cutter on him, presumably used to remove anti-shoplifting tags, the report
indicated. After his arrest, it was determined he had violated his probation. On
June 6, 2013, Sheehan had been arrested on charges of burglary of a structure
and criminal mischief.
villages-news.com
Salem, OR: Safeway Pharmacy Robbery suspect and 'associate' caught on camera
Police have released surveillance images in hopes of tracking down a man and a
woman wanted in connection to a Safeway pharmacy robbery. Officers were called
to the grocery store at 1265 Center Street Northeast at 10:13 a.m. Nov. 9 on the
report of an armed robbery. A man entered the store and walked around for a
short time before approaching the pharmacy. He had a note demanding drugs and
indicated he had a weapon. Police said no weapon was seen.
kptv.com
Montgomery, AL: 'top lieutenant' sentenced to 8 years in Federal Prison; part of
a massive Identity Theft Ring
Talashia Hinton, who prosecutor Michael Boteler referred to as a "top
lieutenant" in a massive identity theft ring, was sentenced to nearly eight
years in federal prison on Monday. Hinton was described as an integral part of
the operation - someone who ringleaders of the scheme entrusted responsibility
to at every turn. However, Richard White, who represented Hinton, argued that
Hinton participated in the scheme at a lower level. "This was not a one time
deal. This was a scheme that happened over the course of several years," said
Boteler, an attorney for the Department of Justice's tax division. The scheme
allegedly took place from 2007 to May 2013, claiming more than $20 million in
fraudulent tax returns, with about $7 million actually paid out.
montgomeryadvisor.com
 Alpharetta,
GA: Smash and grab takes $10K in clothes
Nearly $10,000 in clothing was reportedly stolen Nov. 7 from a sports store on
North Point Parkway. According to employees, an alarm went off just after
midnight. Someone used a brick to smash out a front door. Checking security
footage, police were able to determine a man had run into the store and grabbed
large amounts of clothing, then left the store for a minivan. He then returned
and grabbed a second batch of clothing before fleeing. He was in the business
for less than three minutes. Employees told police they suspected a customer
from earlier in the day who was acting suspicious and matches the description of
the suspect.
forsythherald.com |
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