Couple accused of $3,000 jewelry heist
Investigators have announced that a couple accused of shoplifting $3,000 worth of jewelry from a South Carolina Walmart has been captured. Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell announced Thursday night that Jennifer Schwartz Parker, 36, of Ladson and 35-year-old Floyd Wesley Craven of Erhardt were taken into custody by deputies with the York County Sheriff’s Office. “They will be brought to Orangeburg County as soon as they have been processed in York County for potential crimes in that jurisdiction,” Ravenell said.
According to investigators, the two were caught on security video entering the Orangeburg Walmart the day after Christmas. A report states video surveillance showed the couple in the jewelry area of the store where the man forced open a display and was seen placing items into the woman’s purse. Agencies around the Lowcountry are investigating similar incidents, according to the sheriff’s office. [Source: Live5 News]
Perspicacious crook makes a bold attempt
An Arkansas man found an interesting way to allude authorities on an unusual shoplifting spree, according to the Rogers Police. About 8 p.m., a man in what appears to be a Walmart shirt, cap and lanyard walked out of the Walnut Street Walmart with merchandise. Despite the Walmart gear, police said the man was not a Walmart employee.
According to a report, Loss Prevention Associate Rashaun Casey saw a man in Walmart who pulled a tote from the shelves. Casey told police the man seemed suspicious, so she followed him. Casey watched the man head to the laundry detergent aisle, where he put several items in the tote. He then headed to the grocery, where he selected several types of alcohol, cheeses, meats and TV dinners, which he placed in his cart with the tote.
He then went through the registers without paying, she said. Casey told police she and a co-manager approached the man, who took off running into the parking lot about 8:20 p.m. The man appears to be a white male with a brown beard and no mustache, with a stocky build. Anyone with information on the man is asked to call Corporal Templin at the Rogers Police Department at 479.636.4141. [Source: News5 Online]
Luxury jeweler wins default judgment, permanent injunction, and monetary award
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York has entered a default judgment in favor of American luxury jeweler David Yurman, awarding the company $1,550,000 in aggregate statutory damages against 31 defendants who operated infringing websites selling counterfeit David Yurman jewelry. The Court also issued a permanent injunction against the defendants, and any person acting with them, from manufacturing, distributing, advertising or selling any counterfeit David Yurman products. The judgment further requires the defendants to permanently transfer the domain names of the infringing websites to David Yurman.
The defendants operated a network of websites designed to appear like authorized David Yurman websites by unlawfully using the company’s trademarks and copyrighted campaign images in a deliberate attempt to deceive consumers. Having designed the infringing websites to falsely convey an affiliation with David Yurman, the defendants offered for sale counterfeit David Yurman jewelry. “We are pleased with the judgment and will continue to take aggressive action to protect our consumers, our designs and our trademarks,” said Carol Pennelli, President, David Yurman. “We will not tolerate infringers and counterfeiters in the marketplace regardless of where they operate.” [Source: CISION PR Newswire]
Elusive trio of burglars in custody
According to Ventura County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Sgt. Jason Roberts, “several cities within Ventura County,” as well as several others throughout the Los Angeles area have been the targets of burglars victimizing retail and commercial businesses after closing hours. In spite of multiple video surveillance records clearly indicating a repeated modus operandi that featured broken windows and riffled cash registers and safes, the suspects managed to avoid being either identified or apprehended by any law enforcement agency in the area.
But on January 20th, nearly two hours after midnight, a Thousand Oaks Police Department patrol unit observed “a suspicious vehicle” as it pulled to a stop at the rear of a strip mall in which all the business at the facility were closed. When the suspect car’s headlights unexpectedly dimmed, the observant deputy realized that something illicit was about to transpire.As soon as the driver of the suspect vehicle took note of the marked patrol unit, “the vehicle quickly left the area,” only to be pulled to a halt a short distance away.
Inside the car were Los Angeles residents Jimmy Bass, 22, Tori Jackson, 20, and DJ Green, 19. Bass and Jackson were determined to be on probation “for previous crimes.” A search of the vehicle was immediately conducted. Inside, deputies discovered “numerous tools, clothing, gloves, cash, masks, and property,” all of which linked the three young men to multiple commercial burglaries in other jurisdictions currently under investigation. Bass, Jackson, and Green were all transported to Ventura County Jail, where they were booked on conspiracy to commit burglary. They remain in custody on a no-bail hold pending investigation into other suspected crimes outside of Ventura County. [Source: Crime Voice]
Shoplifter punches LPA to assist 2 women accomplices
Ryan Norton of New Haven, Connecticut was arrested and charged with robbery, larceny, conspiracy to commit larceny, and assault for an incident that took place on Oct. 5, 2018, at the Boston Post Road Target, said Milford Police Officer Joseph Dempsey. Norton is accused of assisting two women who were allegedly shoplifting at the Target at 1191 Boston Post Road, in Milford, by pushing the loss prevention associate to the ground then punching him several times, Dempsey said. The LP associate suffered minor physical injuries at the time of the incident, he added. Norton was released on a promise to appear ticket and is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 26. [Source: Daily Voice]
Retail Jobs Grew Nearly 15,000 in January Over December
January saw a surprising month-over-month gain of 17,400 jobs in sporting goods, hobby and book stores, a category that has been volatile with mostly negative job numbers, along with increases of 2,900 jobs at food and beverage stores, 2,600 at furniture stores and 1,500 at electronics and appliance stores. There were losses of 12,100 jobs at general merchandise stores, which includes department stores, and 2,700 at health and personal care product stores. Economy-wide, average hourly earnings in January were up 3 cents over December to $27.56 and up 85 cents from a year ago, a year-over-year increase of 3.2 percent. The Labor Department said unemployment was 4 percent, up from 3.9 percent in December. [Source: BusinessWire]