Suspect drags LP associate through mall parking lot
A Florida man was arrested on multiple charges after dragging a Dillard’s loss prevention associate from his car in the Melbourne Square Mall parking lot. Melbourne police said that 42-year-old Cleon Demitris Leeks, of Palm Bay, was charged with Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon, Driving on a Suspended License, Leaving a Scene of a Crash with Injury, Petit Theft, and Resisting an Officer.
On Saturday, at approximately 2:00 p.m., a loss prevention associate observed Leeks conceal a pink Ralph Lauren polo shirt in his shorts. Leeks then left Dillard’s and entered the driver’s side door of a 2016 Kia as the LP associate ran after him. As Leeks backed up, the door struck the associate, knocking him down to the pavement. “He was then dragged approximately 10 to 15 feet,” police said. Leeks also ran over the associates’s ankle, failing to stop despite pleas to do so. The LP associate was transported to Holmes Regional Medical Center. A few miles away, Melbourne police found Leeks and initiated a traffic stop where he was arrested. Bond set at $31,500. [Source: Palm Bay Daily]
Pair suspected of using children in retail robberies
Darrell Campbell, 32, and Jeammie Preston, 31, both of Moreno Valley, are facing charges of conspiracy, second-degree robbery, child endangerment and grand theft, and they’re being held at Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning in lieu of $245,000 and $210,000 bail, respectively, according to online jail records. They were arrested Thursday.
Campbell and Preston are scheduled to make a court appearance Tuesday at the Riverside Hall of Justice, jail records state. In June, sheriff’s deputies in Moreno Valley began investigating multiple commercial robberies in the city, according to a Riverside County sheriff’s news release. Deputies learned a man and woman, later identified as Campbell and Preston, conspired to commit robberies and used children to carry stolen merchandise out of major retail businesses, the release stated.
In some cases, the man directed the children to grab specific merchandise and then walk out of the business to a waiting vehicle where the woman waited as the getaway driver. While exiting the business, loss prevention officers were threatened with a knife, according to the news release. Investigators found evidence that the couple conducted similar thefts as far back as October in Menifee, Eastvale, Riverside, Lake Elsinore, Glendora and San Bernardino, the release said. During the investigation, deputies gathered significant evidence against the suspects and identified the two adults and juveniles.
On Thursday, Campbell and Preston were arrested in the 25000 block of Alessandro Boulevard in Moreno Valley, according to the news release. Child Protective Services took custody of three children, the release stated. Anyone with information about the investigation can call Officer June, of the Robbery and Burglary Suppression Team, at the Moreno Valley station by calling 951.486.6700. Citizens can also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form. [Source: The Press-Enterprise]
Gas pump hackers charged
Wayne County Illinois Prosecutor Kym Worthy has charged two men for allegedly hacking a Detroit gas station and stealing over 600 gallons of gas. The incident occurred on June 23 at a Marathon gas station in the 17800 block of W. Seven Mile on the city’s west side. Reginald Hollien, 34, and Damon Blocker, 29, both of Detroit, are charged with use of a computer to commit a crime, organized retail crime and larceny of $1,000 to $20,000. “The alleged actions of these defendants show a critical need for the protection of businesses in Wayne County,” Worthy said in a release. “We must ensure that businesses in this County are fully supported and protected.”
While at the gas station, the defendants allegedly sold and accepted cash for the gas, a press release states. Once gas attendants discovered what was happening, they attempted to disable the pump by computer. The attempt was unsuccessful and eventually, the attendants had to activate an emergency shut off, that’s when the suspects fled. They were then arrested by Detroit police on July 9. Hollien and Blocker were arraigned on Wednesday, July 11. Blocker received a $75,000/10 percent bond, while Hollien received a $50,000/10 percent bond. [Source: WXYZ Detroit News]
Police arrest three for stolen lingerie
Three women from outside of Wichita Falls, Texas, reportedly from Georgia, Florida and New York, have been arrested and charged with organized retail theft, accused of taking nearly $700 in merchandise from Victoria’s Secret in Sikes Senter Mall. Located in their purses, according to Wichita Falls police, were anti-theft deactivation instruments.
Wichita Falls Police Information Officer Harold McClure said officers responded to a theft from Victoria’s Secret shortly before 4 p.m. Friday. According to McClure, when the officer arrived, law enforcement was told that three Hispanic females suspects had left in a red vehicle. The officers located the vehicle in a nearby shopping center parking lot where three Hispanic females exited the vehicle.
When the three were asked where they were coming from, they said they were driving from Atlanta on their way to Houston. Once the officers informed them they had received a call that a theft had been committed from the Victoria’s Secret and that they matched the suspects’ descriptions, they became very nervous, McClure said. When the suspects were asked if there was anything illegal or stolen in the vehicle, all three shook their heads yes, McClure told the Times Record News.
The officer, McClure said, located a large duffel bag with 10 pairs of Victoria’s Secret pants with the tags and anti-theft devices inside valued at $695. The officers also located two purses that were lined with anti-theft deactivation instruments. The officers also located a magnet instrument used to remove anti-theft devices from merchandise. A loss prevention associate arrived on the scene and stated that they observed two of the suspects enter the store while the third stood outside as a lookout. All three were arrested and charged with Organized Retail Theft and Possession/Manufacture/Distribution of items used to commit theft. [Source: Times Record News]
Employee facing several counts of fraud after stealing
A Louisiana woman is facing several counts of fraud after authorities say she stole money from a pizza restaurant. On Monday, police were notified of a theft by fraud that occurred at the Baker Domino’s on Main Street. According to the arrest report, an employee had stolen over $3,000 in funds from the business over the course of two weeks. The thief was identified as Jacobi Duncan.
A district manager contacted authorities about the theft. Authorities say the district manager discovered the theft after receiving e-mail statements from the owner of the store. While completing the monthly audit, the manager discovered excessive mileage payouts for employees of the Baker store that were three times above the average for store employees. When the employees were asked about the payouts, they said none of them had received any additional funds above their normal salary pay.
Reports say that Duncan was an assistant manager at the store and had access to the records, and the power to change them. During an investigation, it was discovered that there was an excessive amount of cancellations for orders that had been made in the store, which averaged between five and eight cancellations per night. It was also discovered that all of the cancellations had been paid for in cash. Records show that Duncan handled the cancellations. Duncan is charged with 68 counts of computer fraud, 33 counts of access device fraud, and 35 counts of public payroll fraud. [Source: WBRZ2 News]
UPS launches pilot to deliver packages in apartment buildings
UPS has launched a pilot program to deliver packages inside apartment buildings in New York City using Latch, a smart lock system, according to a press release. Through the program, a UPS driver receives credentials to enter apartment buildings that have Latch devices enabled, allowing the driver to deliver packages when residents are not home. UPS will only enter apartment buildings, not individual residents’ units. UPS started the pilot in Manhattan in March and recently expanded to Brooklyn, with expansion into other markets expected in the future. Latch said 20 million multi-family residential units exist across the U.S. [Source: SupplyChainDIVE]