Electronics retailer says a viral photo of cases of water selling for $42 was “a big mistake”
Tweets surfaced yesterday purporting to show a Best Buy in Houston touting packs of 24-count water bottles at a massive uptick in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. However, the company said that it does not sell water by the case and the signage promoting the offer was a mistake made by several employees. Best Buy does sell individual water bottles at the checkout counters. “This was a big mistake on the part of a few employees at one store on Friday,” a company spokesman said via email. “As a company we are focused on helping, not hurting affected people. We’re sorry and it won’t happen again. Not as an excuse but as an explanation, we don’t typically sell cases of water. The mistake was made when employees priced a case of water using the single-bottle price for each bottle in the case.”
There have been over 550 complaints so far about price gouging on everything from food to gasoline. According to the Texas Attorney General, the price gouging has included hotel prices quadrupling; fuel for as much as $10 per gallon, and cases of water being sold for $99. But Best Buy was singled out on social media when a tweet showed that some packs were being sold at a Houston location for $29 while other cases of water were $42. The penalty for price gouging in Texas is a fine of up to $20,000 per infraction. And if the victim is over the age of 65, the fine is up to $250,000. So while Best Buy contends that it was all an honest mistake, they have a legal responsibility not to price gouge during a disaster. [Source: CNBC News]
Woman with more than 50 prior arrests caught shoplifting
A New Haven, Connecticut woman with nearly 60 prior arrests was caught Friday afternoon trying to steal $770 worth of men’s clothing and accessories from Kohl’s, police said. Laurie Savage, 54, of Fairfield, Connecticut, , put the items in a shopping cart and attempted to leave the Tunxis Hill Road store without paying around 2:30 p.m., police said. When stopped by loss prevention associates, Savage apologized and left the store, walking up Greenfield Street, where she was stopped by officers a short time later, police said. Savage was charged with fifth-degree larceny and released on a promise to appear in court on September 4. [Source: Fairfield Daily Voice]
Stolen cars, police chase, shoplifting; overnight teen crime spree
Kids out on a crime spree caused mayhem in Colorado Springs, Colorado, overnight, stealing cars, threatening a store clerk with a weapon, shoplifting, and leading police on a chase. Police were first alerted after the teens caused a disturbance and then later stole from a Circle K on Maizeland around 1:20 a.m. Tuesday. Responding officers were told a large group of boys and girls walked in, got aggressive with the clerk, and one of the members of the group pulled out a gun. The kids left, only to come back a short time later and steal from the store. They fled in a stolen car. “That information was aired out, and later on … one of our officers observed the vehicle involved in the shoplifting and felony menacing traveling in the Powers and Stetson Hills area. A short pursuit ensued and the vehicle was stopped,” said CSPD Sgt. Mike Singels. “While that pursuit was occurring, the officer noticed there was another vehicle … that was driving along with the vehicle and then split in a different direction.” At the time, officers didn’t know if there was any link between vehicles. “The officers stayed focused on the suspect vehicle, the one that we knew was a steal and the one that potentially had the suspects from the felony menacing and shoplift earlier. But while all of that is occurring, information gets aired out on the second vehicle that was stolen.” The second vehicle was orange, an easy car for an officer who happened to see a vehicle that exact color at a 7-Eleven near downtown Springs to remember.
When more officers responded to that 7-Eleven in the area of Boulder Street and Wahsatch Avenue, “we put everything together,” Singels said. “That’s when we start putting two and two together thinking that ‘hey, maybe this group just split up and stole another car.’ “It was stolen from a residence [overnight] — the home was broken into, keys were found inside the residence, and the vehicle was stolen,” Singels said. Singels did not have any information on how the getaway car in the Circle K incident, a green Subaru, was stolen. Officers who responded to the 7-Eleven saw a group of kids walking towards an alley. With the help of a canine unit, three of the kids involved in the Tuesday morning crime spree were taken into custody there. Two others were detained after the car chase. The investigation is ongoing. [Source: KKTV11 News]
Men steal $2,000 in prepaid cards from Vero Beach big box
A loss prevention officer at the Walmart store in Vero Beach, Florida, contacted the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office after two men stole $2,000 in prepaid Visa cards. The men entered the Garden Center at the Vero Beach store and selected four prepaid Visa cards. Once at the register in the Garden Center, the men asked the cashier to load each card with $500 for a total of $2,000. “Once the register prompts for payment, the suspect who presented the cards then inquires about the bags of charcoal that were located away from the register,” the deputy said. The suspect called the cashier to him and asked for help with the charcoal. While away, the second suspect reached around the register and entered “exact cash” on the register and then takes the prepaid Visa cards and receipt.
“Once the transaction is finished, the drawer opens and the second suspect closes it and runs for the exit.” The first suspect briefly says something to the cashier before exiting through the Garden Center. The Vero Beach suspects are described as two black males, one younger and the other older Video surveillance showed the men arriving and leaving the Walmart store in a gray car. Walmart believes that one of the men who wore a red shirt either works at a Walmart or was previously employed because of his knowledge with the register. The case is an open investigation. [Source: Sebastian Daily]
Suspected shoplifters crash; flee on foot
Suspected shoplifters fleeing from Smith’s Marketplace on Trinity Drive in Los Alamos, New Mexico, n a white Nissan pickup truck Friday crashed into two parked cars shortly before 11 p.m. Los Alamos Police Department officers were still searching for the suspects Friday night. Officers were not able to get identification on the suspects. The suspects drove out of the Smith’s Marketplace parking lot, heading east. They turned around in a cul de sac, ran over a group of mailboxes, then crashed the truck into two cars parked on shortly before 11 p.m. A third car, a green Ford Explorer, that was parked in front of the crashed Titan truck, also had one of its rear windows damaged. No bystanders were injured in the collision. Los Alamos Police Department officers said they were still searching for the suspects. Officers said they do not think the suspects were injured in the crash. The truck sandwiched one of the cars, a 2002 Mazda Protege, between the truck and a tree on a median before coming to a stop. The police were not able to make any type of identification at the time of the incident. Police patrolling the area arrived on scene shortly after the crash, but did not chase the suspects. They believe the suspects tried to make a left turn but failed to negotiate the turn. “They probably panicked” said one of the officers at the scene. [Source: LAmonitor]
Police Officer injured during shoplift arrest
A Columbus, Mississippi, police officer was treated and released for back injuries Monday night that occurred when he was arresting a local man for shoplifting at Love’s Truck Stop. The officer received help from the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Columbus Police Chief Oscar Lewis who were in the area and assisted. The incident occurred in the parking lot of Love’s Truck Stop as the C.P.D. officer was handcuffing Timothy Lamont Leech, of Columbus, when a scuffle began at the officer’s patrol car. The officer was able to get Leech into the back of the patrol car while calling for help. A sheriff’s deputy arrived followed by Chief Lewis. Leech was placed under arrest for the shoplifting charge, resisting arrest and a hold from the Mississippi Department of Corrections because he was out on parole/probation. Leech is currently in custody at the Lowndes County Detention Center. The officer returned to work, but will not be identified. [Source: WCBI News]
Woman was ringleader of identity-theft ring, police say
He flew to India for his grandfather’s funeral in November. Back home someone was racking up thousands of dollars in debt using credit cards opened in his name. In less than a month almost $30,000 was charged to one of six fraudulent credit cards, police said. Strangers bought cars at a tow yard, reserved hotel rooms and shopped for clothes. Unpaid hospital bills and court fines were sent to collections. A credit report later showed that multiple properties had been rented in his name. The man realized something was wrong when he tried to get a home loan. He and more than 100 others were targeted in an identity-theft scheme that spanned Snohomish and King counties in Washington state. Everett police detective Jamie French said she has never seen an identity theft case to this extent.
Police say Alexia Devlin, 37, is the mastermind behind the scam. She has 25 pending charges for identity theft, possession of stolen property and theft. Prosecutors expect to file additional charges. Devlin’s boyfriend also was arrested in connection to these crimes. Devlin has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Her trial is set for later this year. Detectives believe Devlin found victims using rental companies, such as Airbnb and Vacation Rental By Owner. She allegedly rented properties using someone else’s ID and then rifled through the houses to steal the property owners’ personal information. As technology makes it easier to rent homes and purchase items online, French said more cases have been sent to the department’s Financial Crimes Unit. In 2015, there were 786 reports involving identity theft and embezzlement. So far this year, there have been 416. The team of three detectives and a sergeant is responsible for those cases. “For victims, it’s devastating,” French said. “I don’t think suspects realize the impact it has on victims.” [Source: HeraldNet]
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