Arizona man arrested for stealing, selling almost $10K of baby formula
A Chandler man faces dozens of felony charges for allegedly stealing baby formula from Frys Food Stores across the Valley, then re-selling the merchandise. Robert Illa was arrested on August 8. He’s accused of shoplifting and selling close to $10K worth of baby formula. According to the police report, Illa would enter various Fry’s stores with an empty shopping cart, select the formula and other items, then leave the store without paying. Police believe he would also use a blue tote bag, also stolen from Fry’s, to haul out the stolen goods. Chandler police say when they stopped his car on August 8, he was in possession of 22 tubs of baby formula and a large blue tote bag. The police report reads: “I asked him why he was shoplifting the baby formula and other merchandise and he said to support his heroin addiction.” The police report also states that Illa said he “shoplifts the product and immediately sells it to a fence location for cash. He then goes directly to his dealer to purchase the heroin.” When he was arrested, police say he was already on probation for possession of narcotic drugs. He now faces multiple charges of organized retail theft, possession of stolen property and trafficking in stolen property. [Source: AZfamily]
Lawsuit revived over Apple retail workers’ pay during security checks
Should Apple retail workers in California be paid for time spent having their purses, backpacks and other belongings checked to make sure they didn’t steal any of Cupertino’s goods… after they have punched out? Ruling in a class-action lawsuit brought by Apple retail workers, a federal judge answered “no,” California law doesn’t require Apple to pay for that time, even though it’s mandatory that employees who bring purses or other bags to work get them searched while they’re off the clock. The worker-wage dispute with one of the world’s richest companies didn’t end there. Lawyers for the class-action lawsuit representing thousands of Apple retail workers in California appealed that 2015 decision to the San Francisco-based 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals. On Wednesday, the appeals court said it couldn’t come to any conclusion in a dispute that the court said had widespread ramifications for California workers who go through security checks at companies like Marshalls, Nordstrom, Federal Express, Best Buy, and other workplaces.
The federal appeals court said the answer to whether California wage laws apply to time spent on security checks should be decided by the California Supreme Court. So the appeals court on Wednesday asked the state Supreme Court to weigh in. It’s a rare practice for the nation’s appeals courts to request—in what is known as a certified question—that the top courts in states interpret controversial issues involving state law. In short, the suit claims that Apple retail employees spend as much as 20 minutes off the clock having their bags searched to combat employee theft every time they leave work. Apple claims that the searches only take seconds and that they are not “required” for workers who don’t bring purses, backpacks, briefcases, or other bags to work. Apple retail workers, in a 2012 letter to Apple chief Tim Cook, said the policy amounted to treating employees like “criminals.” The appeals court said the issue was a close call and best left to the California Supreme Court. [Source: arsTechnica]
Two Connecticut women accused of stealing thousands of dollars worth of clothing
Two 18-year-old Connecticut women are facing an organized retail crime charge after allegedly stealing thousands of dollars worth of clothing from the mall this past weekend. On Saturday just before 8 p.m., a Salem, New Hampshire, police officer who was working a detail at the Mall at Rockingham Park, New Hampshire, called for backup, saying he was trying to catch two women believed to have shoplifted from Macy’s. The officer saw the two women as they were leaving and was able to give a description of both, as well as their vehicle, police said. Police spotted the vehicle traveling on Rockingham Park Boulevard and were able to stop it. Police said they found the two women, identified as Renee Lewis, 18, and Leona Jones, 18. Another woman was in the car, but police said she was not involved; she was later released. Police were given consent to search the vehicle and found many items of clothing that appeared to be new, with the price tags still on. The two were arraigned at Salem District Court on Monday. Lewis and Jones are facing a charge of organized retail crime enterprise. Lewis is also facing charges of disobeying an officer, marijuana possession and transporting drugs in a motor vehicle. Bail was initially set at $2,500 cash for the two Hartford, Connecticut., women. [Source: NH Union Leader]
Couple exploited retailer’s website glitch, tried to steal $250K in goods
A husband and wife are accused of exploiting a glitch in Lowe’s and possibly other store websites in an attempt to steal more than $250,000-worth of items and then resell them online. Kimy Velazquez, 40, and Romela Velazquez, 24, of Brick, stole enough items from the home-improvement store to fill an 18-foot trailer, according to a statement released by Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato and Brick police Chief James Riccio. A spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Al Della Fave, however, would not say how the couple exploited the store’s website. And a spokesperson for Lowe’s did not immediately return a message seeking comment. Authorities say the items they actually received, which included a smart TV, a surround sound stereo system and $2,500 in Victoria Secret underwear, totaled $12,971. But, authorities say, they attempted to get approximately $258,068 worth of items. The Harding Drive couple had the items delivered to their home and then sold them on a local Facebook group for less than half the original price, according to the statement.
On August 3, authorities with the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Investigations Unit and the Brick Township Police Department raided the couple’s home to find what authorities said “resembled more of a warehouse than a home.” Authorities found a laundry list of household appliances and items, and also a Nikon D500 Camera, 70-inch Vizio LED smart TV, multiple boxes of Ugg shoes, multiple boxes of furniture and an aluminum gazebo. Della Fave said other items not purchased from Lowe’s were found at the couple’s house. He said additional charges may be filed as detectives contact those stores. Romela Valazquez was charged with computer criminal activity, theft by deception for attempting to obtain merchandise totaling approximately $258,068 and theft by deception for the receipt of approximately $12,971 worth of merchandise without payment. Kimy Velazquez was charged with receipt of stolen property and fencing. Both were released from jail. [Source: NJ.com]
Maryland man stole cellphones from store
A Maryland man was jailed Tuesday after being accused of stealing four Apple iPhone 7s from a Richland Township business and scuffling with an employee, authorities said. Township police charged Antonio G. Brock, 23, of Capitol Heights, with robbery, retail theft, institutional vandalism and false identification to police. In a criminal complaint, police said Brock entered Rockin V Wireless at 6:35 p.m. Monday and walked to the back of the store as if heading to a restroom. Police allege a surveillance video shows that Brock instead entered the storeroom and pocketed merchandise with a total value of $3,533. When an employee confronted him, Brock fought with the employee, then fled in a silver Chevrolet Impala with a Maryland license plate. Police stopped the car where Brock told police his name was Jamal Lyons. Brock was arraigned by on-call District Judge Mary Ann Zanghi of Vinco and sent to the Cambria County Prison after failing to post 10 percent of $50,000. [Source: The Tribune-Democrat]
Miami resident sentenced to prison for stolen $2M identity refund fraud scheme
A Miami-Dade County, Florida resident was sentenced to 70 months in prison for his role in a stolen identity refund fraud scheme, announced Acting US Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division. According to documents and information provided to the court, from approximately 2008 through January 2015, in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, Jean Leroy Destine, 36, and others, obtained stolen IDs, to include the personal identifying information of prisoners and deceased individuals. They used this information to prepare and file with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) approximately 2,000 tax returns seeking more than $2 million in fraudulent refunds. Destine and his co-conspirators covered their tracks by recruiting individuals to obtain Electronic Filing Identification Numbers (EFINs) in their names from the IRS and then used these EFINs to electronically file the fraudulent returns.
The conspirators directed the refunds to debit cards as well as treasury checks mailed to various addresses. The refund checks were cashed at different check cashing stores and funds were withdrawn from the debit cards at Western Union locations and ATMs. In addition to the term of prison imposed, US District Judge Federico A. Moreno ordered Destine to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $2,108,000.00 in restitution to the IRS. Destine pleaded guilty in May 2017 to one count of a multi-object conspiracy to defraud the IRS, commit wire fraud and commit aggravated identity theft and one count of aggravated identity theft. Acting US Attorney Greenberg and Acting Assistant Attorney General Goldberg commended special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant US Attorney Neil Karadbil of the Southern District of Florida and Assistant Chief Greg Tortella of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case. [Source: Department of Justice]
The post Breaking News in the Industry: August 17, 2017 appeared first on LPM.