Michigan woman gets jail for retail fraud
The theft of more than $2,000 worth of alcohol from grocery stores has earned a Mount Pleasant, Michigan, woman a one-year jail sentence. Cathy Sue Latosky, 42, recently appeared before Midland County Circuit Court Judge Stephen P. Carras to be sentenced for one count of first-degree retail fraud and a habitual second offender status. The charge was filed after loss prevention associates witnessed Latosky placing bottles of alcohol in a gray purse and exiting a Meijer store without paying. Midland Police investigated the thefts after being called to the Midland store on the night of March 11.
An affidavit filed in the case states loss prevention officers detained Latosky in the parking lot. They told officers she had stolen liquor from the Midland location, as well as from locations in Saginaw, between March 7 and 11. The alcohol was valued at more than $2,000 and Carras sentenced Latosky to one year in jail with credit for 181 days served, and $1,127 restitution. Latoksy’s criminal record includes seven first-degree retail fraud convictions dating back to 1997. Court records show Latosky has not worked since 2009. [Source: Midland Daily News]
Seven arrested in credit card fraud scheme
Seven men believed to be from Charlotte, North Carolina, are in jail in Charleston, West Virginia, after police say their activity Wednesday in South Charleston involved fraudulent use of credit cards. South Charleston Police were tipped off to the men’s alleged criminal activity Wednesday morning when they were at Kohl’s in South Charleston. That is when South Charleston Police detectives got a tip that the group opened several credit accounts at the store and was suspected of using fake identification to do so. One of the men made a purchase worth about $1,000. The suspects’ cars seen were seen on Kohl’s security with tags from Tennessee and Georgia. Detectives tracked them down at the Holiday Inn in South Charleston. One of the men tried to rent two hotel rooms with Jacuzzis for $202.27, each using credit cards that police say belonged to someone else. The purchase was denied.
That’s when the men left the hotel and detectives followed them to the Charleston Town Center Mall. Fearing the group would split, they confronted them, taking them into custody in the former Sears Auto Center Parking lot across the street from the mall. Police confronted eight men in two cars. One of them ran away through the Town Center Mall parking garage and is still on the run. All seven men are being held in jail on a $25,000 property-bond only and that property has to be located in West Virginia. All are charged with conspiracy to commit identity theft, a felony charge that carries a one- to five-year prison sentence and $10,000 fine. [Source: WSAZ3 News]
Suspected shoplifter fakes having gun; gets arrested
In Fairfield, California, a shoplifter who tried to get away from a Solano Town Center Mall loss prevention associate by saying that he had a gun early Tuesday afternoon is now behind bars, according to Fairfield police. Police descended on the shopping center to take Delton R. Asjes, 27, into custody at gunpoint after getting a report that the suspect had threatened someone with a gun. Asjes is suspected of trying to shoplift from a store in the mall and, when stopped by the loss prevention associate, allegedly said he had a gun and made a motion toward his waistband, according to police. No gun was found and Asjes tried the tactic to get away from the loss prevention officer, police said. Asjes was booked into Solano County jail on suspicion of robbery, a felony; and trespassing and for an alleged violation of his probation, both misdemeanors, according to jail records. He was held on $105,000 bail and was scheduled to appear in court Thursday. [Source: Daily Republic]
Pawn shop defendants face trial in organized crime scheme
A Detroit pawn shop remains open for business as its owner and an employee face trial on organized crime charges, amid allegations they bought merchandise stolen from stores in Canton and other southeast Michigan communities.
iPawn Detroit owner Gasswan Usama Gargis, 38, and employee Trisha-Lynette Viado Razon, 20, both free on personal bonds, are allowed by law to run the Eight Mile Road business as they await trial in Wayne County Circuit Court, Canton Deputy Police Chief Craig Wilsher said. A pawn shop employee who answered the phone Wednesday said neither Gargis nor Razon was available to answer questions about the charges involving accusations they bought stolen high-end electronics, kitchen appliances, generators, jewelry, power tools and other merchandise. The employee said he would give a message to Gargis and Razon, who are facing a total of 21 charges in what authorities call an organized retail crime scheme. The charges follow a six-month investigation that culminated with Canton police executing a search warrant June 12 at the pawn shop and the owner’s home.
Authorities say Gargis could face up to 20 years in prison if he is convicted of one count of conducting a criminal enterprise, seven counts of organized retail crime, six counts of receiving and concealing stolen property over $1,000 and one count of failing to keep records of financial transactions. Razon could face five years in prison, officials say, if convicted of five counts of organized retail crime, two counts of receiving and concealing stolen property over $1,000 and one count of failing to keep records of financial transactions. Police say they recovered more than $300,000 in stolen merchandise. Wilsher called it a “very extensive” list of goods taken from big box stores such as Walmart, Home Depot and Target in southeast Michigan, including Canton.The case was handled by Canton police, Michigan State Police and the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. Authorities haven’t said who may have stolen the merchandise and sold it to the pawn shop. “This case should serve as notice that these wide-scale sales of stolen goods to pawn shop operations will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted in Wayne County,” she said. [Source: HomeTownLife]
Border Patrol Agent arrested for selling counterfeit watches
A Border Patrol Agent was arrested last month for selling counterfeit luxury watches and could face federal charges. Martin Macias, 31, is accused of selling counterfeit Rolex, Cartier, Audemars Piguet, and Hublot watches during two undercover stings earlier this year, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported Wednesday, citing a search warrant affidavit unsealed in San Diego federal court last week. Macias earned about $320 per counterfeit watch, which if genuine would have sold for between $10,000 and $79,000. When Macias was arrested Aug. 2 following a second undercover sale, he allegedly told sheriff’s deputies “I’m going to lose my job.” Macias’ current employment status is unknown. Authorities began investigating Macias in May after private investigators met with him at the Target store in Mission Valley to buy Rolex watches advertised on Craigslist, the Union-Tribune reported. The private investigators were from a company called Investigative Consultants that helps brands detect counterfeit goods and protect their trademarks.
At the May 25 meeting, Macias allegedly showed the private investigators a display case filled with 14 high-end counterfeits — four Audemars Piguet, four Cartier and six Rolex — and confirmed they were fake. He said a man named Carlos provided him with the watches, and a private investigator bought a Rolex for $320. Macias allegedly met with the private investigator a second time on Aug. 2 in Chula Vista promising to have five Rolex watches, the newspaper reporter. When he arrived, this time driving a black Chevrolet pickup, he allegedly had six Audemars Piguet, four Rolex, two Hublot, one Armani and one child’s Casio. Sheriff’s detectives arrested Macias during the second meeting on state charges and he was released on $10,000 bail, according to the Union-Tribune. The search warrant affidavit said Macias was never charged with crimes in state court, but federal prosecutors are considering charges of trafficking counterfeit goods. [Source: Times of San Diego]
Major ORC theft investigation leads to 3 arrests
An investigation into a major theft ring involving big trucks, trailers and assorted construction equipment valued in the hundreds of thousands of dollars has been solved with the recovery of items and the arrests of three men. The case, spearheaded by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, is likely to lead to additional arrests, according to Sheriff Bill Massee. The case has been linked to nine other counties across Georgia where similar items have been stolen in recent weeks from construction sites, said Baldwin County Sheriff’s Detective Thomas “T.J.” Hargrove. The theft ring, which is believed to have been led by a man now jailed in Baldwin County, could lead to racketeering charges being filed against the suspects already in custody and those yet to be arrested, Massee said. Regardless of jurisdiction, if and when federal RICO charges are actually filed against the suspects and others expected to be arrested in the case, the entire case would then be prosecuted in Baldwin County. Already Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit District Attorney Stephen A. Bradley is looking at the possibility of filing such charges against the trio of suspects now jailed in the Baldwin County Law Enforcement Center. Assistant District Attorneys Leonard D. Myers and Dawn Baskin also are involved in reviewing the case to determine if the suspects will be charged under the RICO Act.
“We don’t know what the true volume is as far as number of theft cases is concerned,” Massee said. “The volume of stolen equipment and the dollar value that T.J. [Hargrove] has proven is a tremendous cost to property owners — these people who own these pieces of heavy equipment. What we don’t know is how many more pieces of equipment they stole that we haven’t documented yet.” That’s why the case remains an active investigation, the sheriff pointed out. “At this point in time, it literally covers from Milledgeville to Atlanta and to Crawford County,” Massee said. Anyone with information about such thefts is asked to call the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 478-445-5102. [Source: Union-Recorder]
The post Breaking News in the Industry: September 15, 2017 appeared first on LPM.