Breaking News in the Industry: March 19, 2018

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Police stop shoplifting spree [Viral Video]

Seattle, Washington, police arrested some thieves who they say were trying steal “in bulk” from Costco. Seattle police put an end to the shoplifting spree as dash cameras and body cams recorded. loss prevention associates recognized what was going on inside the Costco store and called police. The suspects were gathering up laptops and other items, preparing to escape out a fire exit. A getaway driver was waiting outside. Police got in position and waited until the would-be thieves came through the fire doors. Police arrested the 30-year-old man and 21-year-old woman. The 18-year-old getaway driver was also arrested. Investigators believe they hit a different Costco earlier the same day– -stealing more than $2,000 worth of electronics. LP associates told detectives they’d had run-ins with one of the suspects before and he’d had a knife with a seven-inch blade in his pocket. Officers say the suspect had the knife when he was arrested Wednesday, as well. He was booked for investigation of robbery, and the women were booked for investigation of theft. They were all taken to the King County Jail. [Source: KIRO7 News]

 Man arrested for allegedly robbing 4 fast food restaurants in 18-day span

A man has been arrested for allegedly robbing four fast food restaurants during a near three-week period in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Alan Michael Josey, 21, has been charged with several counts of commercial armed robbery and is being held without bond. The armed robberies took place on the 15700 block of Livingston Road in Accokeek (Feb. 22), the 9500 block of Livingston Road in Fort Washington (March 8), the 8900 block of Annapolis Road in Lanham (March 11), and the 5300 block of Marlboro Pike in District Heights (March 11). Police said all of the incidents were armed robberies.

There were no injuries in any of the incidents. Investigators say Josey is connected to a fifth robbery at a retail store in Anne Arundel County. On Monday, authorities said Josey and a woman were wanted for robbing a fast food restaurant in Accokeek. The two walked into the restaurant, and police said he confronted an employee, pulled out a gun and demanded money. The woman reportedly acted as a lookout during the incident. Police said after the robbery they left the restaurant in a White Nissan Altima with D.C. license plates. [Source: WJLA News]

Police searching for women accused of shoplifting 17 pairs of shoes with kids

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In Oklahoma City, Police are searching for three women accused of shoplifting 17 pairs of shoes while with children in the northwest side. On Wednesday, photos were released of the women believed to have been involved in the grand larceny Sunday evening at Shoe Carnival in the 1700 block of Belle Isle Boulevard. The shoes cost more than $1,000 altogether. “To make matters worse, they had small children with them,” police said.

According to a police report, the women first went to a register with 22 pairs of shoes, a soft drink and a Reese’s Snack Mix. A clerk began to ring up and bag the shoes when the women and kids began grabbing the bags and walking out of the store before paying. According to the report, the clerk alerted a manager and one of the women told the employees her husband was in the back picking out another pair of shoes and would momentarily pay for everything. The women and kids then left the store with the 17 pairs and the snack mix. The manager told police five pairs of shoes were left at the counter. He believed the women parked far from the store in order to not be seen leaving. If  you have any information, contact Crime Stoppers by calling 405-235-7300 or submitting a tip online. You can remain anonymous and may earn a cash reward.  [Source: Oklahoma’s News 4]

Parking lot meth lab busted after shoplifter pursuit

In Tennessee, three people were arrested Tuesday afternoon in the Dickson Walmart parking lot when the pursuit of a shoplifter led to a vehicle containing meth-making materials, according to authorities. Thomas Seitz, 52; Genifer Pevahouse, 42, and Larry Terlecki, 45, were all arrested for shoplifting as well as charges for possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia. Seitz was also charged with possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. Pevahouse was also charged with resisting arrest and possession of a weapon during the commission of a felony. Terlecki faces additional charges for a warrant for his arrest for domestic assault. Once the three were caught shoplifting, law enforcement received permission search the car and discovered the meth lab inside, said Dickson police. The 23rd Judicial District Drug Task Force and and Tennessee Dangerous Drugs Task Force were alerted and and arrive to assist with the investigation. [Source: Tennessean]

Employee accused of stealing more than 1,000 iPads ordered into federal custody

A judge Thursday ruled a former Gary, Indiana, employee who allegedly used city funds to buy more than 1,000 Apple iPads must go into federal custody for a competency evaluation. Judge Philip Simon ordered that Monique Bowling-Boyd self-report to federal custody to see if she’s able to stand trial for charges of theft. Simon said it’s important to get the case moving along, and an evaluation will be able to determine if Bowling-Boyd is not competent to stand trial or malingering. “We need an expert to suss that out for us,” Simon said. Bowling-Boyd’s attorney initially sought an outpatient evaluation but Thursday agreed that it would be best done in a facility.

Prosecutors allege that Bowling-Boyd, then Gary’s head of IT services, bought more than 1,000 iPads and other computer equipment, valued in excess of $5,000, according to court documents. The additional charges allege that Bowling-Boyd participated in a scheme to cash pension checks from a dead man, according to court documents, and used the deceased man’s identification card to cash or deposit the checks. Bowling-Boyd’s attorney sought a competency evaluation earlier in January, according to court documents, and Schlesinger said that since he began working on the case in September 2017, she was unable to speak during an interview with him and still has not spoken to him. [Source: Post Tribune]

Cop’s hunch leads to suspect in widespread credit-data theft

A California man, who attracted attention when he looked away from a Cinnaminson, New Jersey, police officer, received a three-year jail term Wednesday for his role in a massive conspiracy to steal credit cards. Angel Angulo, 28, took part in a scheme that used wireless devices to steal customer information during purchases with credit and debit cards at about 80 Michaels’s stores in 19 states, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for New Jersey. Ring members used the stolen data to create counterfeit cards, then withdrew money from the victims’ bank accounts, the federal prosecutor’s office said. Angulo and an alleged accomplice, Crystal Banuelos of Bloomington, California, had 179 counterfeit cards and about $13,000 when they were arrested in May 2011. They allegedly made withdrawals from ATMs in April and May 2011. The Californians were arrested after Cinnaminson police officer F.D. “Don” Rock noticed Banuelos lingering in a car at a stop sign near a bank. He then saw Angulo walking near the bank’s ATM, wearing dark sunglasses on a cloudy day. The suspects, who both avoided Rock’s gaze, were arrested minutes later after stopping at a Route 130 gas station. The Riverside, California, man previously pleaded guilty in federal court, Camden, to conspiring to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Angulo also must pay restitution of $480,300 under a sentence imposed by US District Judge Joseph Rodriguez. Banuelos awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to the same charges.  [Source: Courier Post]

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