Articles Posted in Theft Crimes

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A longtime fire department battalion chief in Florida was arrested on 29 felony counts after a lengthy investigation allegedly implicated him in financial fraud, unlawful surveillance, and stalking.

In September 2024, it was reported that suspicions were raised about the financial management of a regional urban search and rescue task force. Upon an initial investigation, the authorities believed that discrepancies had occurred because the battalion chief, who had overseen the program for about seven years, allegedly used task force credit cards for personal shopping. Investigators claim that between 2019 and 2024, more than $47,000 was spent on non-job-related items from online retailers and storage companies. When they looked further into the situation, the authorities alleged the man attempted to manipulate financial records to conceal the purchases.

As the inquiry continued, investigators also uncovered evidence that the chief had purchased hidden cameras and GPS tracking devices with the same accounts tied to the fraudulent spending. Authorities believe the devices were concealed in private areas to record individuals without their knowledge. The GPS tracker was reportedly used to monitor specific people, leading to aggravated stalking charges.

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A New York woman who was sentenced last year to 13 years in prison for the distribution of narcotics is involved in a new criminal matter where she is accused of drugging four men, three of whom passed away, to steal from them.

According to reports, the authorities continued investigating the woman, and they asserted that between April 2023 and February 2024, she was involved in additional crimes. They alleged that she was meeting men who agreed to pay her for sex, and while they were together, she had given them drugs containing fentanyl. While each alleged victim was incapacitated, the woman allegedly took their clothes, shoes, watches, cash, and phones.

The district attorney reported that the first incident they tied her to happened with two men in Washington Heights. They believed she lured them to an apartment where she gave them what the alleged victims thought was cocaine. When they came to, one of the men found the other one dead beside him. Five months later, in another instance, she and a man reportedly went to his residence, and he was later found deceased with his belongings missing. After another five months had passed, a fourth similar incident allegedly occurred at a man’s Upper Manhattan apartment.

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An alleged shoplifter in Massachusetts was arrested on several charges after reportedly putting a baggie full of narcotics in his mouth while the police were arresting him.

Late in the afternoon on September 9, employees at a Target in Marlborough noticed two people walking out of the store with items they believed they did not pay for. They immediately notified the authorities to report the incident. Since the suspects were still in the area, officers from the Marlborough Police Department quickly headed to the location. It was reported that the pair first went to a nearby Starbucks, and then to a pizza restaurant. The officers saw a man and a woman crossing the highway together, and they believed they were the individuals who had taken merchandise from Target.

When the police tried to approach them, they both ran off, but only the man was caught. While interacting with the 22-year-old, officers reported that he became combative. They also said they saw him put a baggie in his mouth, and when they retrieved it, it contained smaller bags that allegedly held cocaine and fentanyl.

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A 14-year-old in central Florida who is on probation for theft crimes is facing multiple felony offenses after the authorities reportedly linked him to the thefts of two vehicles.

On the morning of September 14, two people in Lakeland called the Polk County Sheriff’s Office within two hours of each other to report that their vehicles had been stolen. The first caller said she noticed her Kia was missing, and the second believed someone had made off with his Toyota Tacoma. The truck owner also informed the authorities that he might be able to help them locate his vehicle using an app that could track it. When they followed the signal, the truck and car were found parked near each other. Forensic investigators inspected both vehicles and reported that the fingerprints they found led them to a 14-year-old local boy.

When he was located, the teen, who has been on probation since last December for a previous theft offense, was taken into custody. It was reported that he initially did not want to discuss the situation with the investigators, but after showing him what they believed was evidence of his involvement, he talked to them without an attorney present. During the interview, he reportedly said he stole both vehicles. He also reportedly said he parked them both, ditched the keys to the Kia, and left the Tacoma keys in the truck. He is currently accused of several charges, including two felony counts of third-degree grand theft of a motor vehicle, two felony counts of burglary in the third degree, one felony count of third-degree grand theft of a controlled substance, and violation of probation – a second-degree misdemeanor.

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A Wisconsin man was arrested after being accused of stealing six pricey, historic gravestone markers from a cemetery and selling them online for profit.

On May 12, one of the groundskeepers at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Fox Crossing called the authorities to report that he had discovered six cross-shaped gravestone markers, each approximately 150 years old, were missing from the grounds. The Fox Crossing Police Department began investigating the situation, which would ultimately lead to a months-long theft investigation.

According to reports, an online search revealed that all six of the four-foot-tall crosses had been listed for sale on multiple sites, and the same name was used for each account that listed them. The buyers were tracked down in different locations in Wisconsin, such as Lamartine, Kewaunee, and Waupun, and one was found in Illinois. When the authorities talked to them, more than one of the purchasers provided information leading them back to the individual whose name was listed on the online accounts. The buyers also reported that they each picked up their purchases in Oakland. The authorities reported that they were able to track the suspect’s phone signal to an area near the cemetery on May 9.

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Four people in Texas were arrested for burglary and drug charges after they were accused of robbing the belongings of people who were staying in an Airbnb.

Airbnb, a service defined as “an American company operating an online marketplace for short-and long-term homestays, experiences, and services in various countries and regions,” has become an increasingly popular alternative to hotels for those seeking boarding accommodations. Most hosts and guests report having good experiences, but on September 13, people staying in an Airbnb in Austin reportedly had a less fortunate experience.

When the visitors returned to their rental after a trip to another city, they reported being met by multiple people who were stealing their belongings. The alleged thieves left before the authorities arrived, and they were caught when they returned to the property.

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A Massachusetts man was arrested after allegedly stealing a soon-to-be married couple’s car that was full of their wedding supplies, including the bride’s dress.

On the morning of August 28, an engaged couple packed their car to make the drive from Massachusetts to Virginia for their upcoming wedding. The bride-to-be’s dress, along with all the items to set up for the event, were loaded, and the groom-to-be left the car running for a moment to let his fiancée know. Before they got back to the car, someone hopped in and reportedly stole the vehicle. The woman realized her laptop was in the car, and she was able to use it to track the location. She began trailing the alleged thief, and the police were notified.

After the woman led them to the suspect’s location, officers chased the vehicle. They also parked a police car to block off the road, but the suspect veered around it and kept driving. Shortly after, they were able to get the man to stop, but he reportedly refused to get out of the car, and the police decided to break the window to remove him.

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A man in Alabama who was accused of burglarizing multiple vehicles allegedly led the pursuing officers on a chase and crashed into several police cars before he was arrested.

According to reports, on August 27 in the historic college town of Auburn, at least three vehicle owners found that they were missing personal items from their cars, which they believed had been burglarized. When one of the alleged victims of the purported thefts notified the authorities, he reported that the perpetrator was spotted while they were in his vehicle. The police opened an investigation and began searching for the suspect. It didn’t take long for the officers to spot the man they believed was responsible for the thefts, as he was driving a car in the same neighborhood, but it was reportedly far from easy for law enforcement to catch him.

When the police tried to initiate a traffic stop, the driver allegedly ignored them and continued driving. It was reported that he drove to the Interstate onramp and forced the officers to chase him down the highway. Police vehicles were parked near one of the mile markers, and the suspect reportedly slammed into them, rendering his car inoperable. He got out of the vehicle and allegedly tried to run away, but he did not get far before the police nabbed him.

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A Florida woman is facing several charges for allegedly performing dental procedures without a license on individuals who later required emergency surgery to save their teeth.

According to reports, a woman who advertised discount veneers on social media was arrested in Hillsborough County in March for allegations that she performed procedures on individuals and accepted money for them, but was not a licensed dentist. After the arrest, she allegedly reopened shop at a beauty bar in Pinellas Park and continued attaching veneers. Over the summer, two individuals notified the authorities after reportedly having work done. They informed them that they had to undergo emergency surgery to save their teeth because they developed infections after the procedures. Another alleged customer reported that she was told the veneers would last between five and seven years, but they kept falling out. She said she asked for a refund, but she was denied and then ignored by the woman.

Investigators looked into the situation and reportedly found that the woman had not gone to school or been trained in dentistry, and she was not licensed to practice in the state of Florida. They believed that instead of doing it properly, she used crazy glue or nail glue to affix the veneers.

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Two people in southern Florida were accused of targeting individuals wearing expensive watches who were frequenting nightclubs and robbing them at gunpoint.

On August 2, the first of a string of alleged armed robberies took place after a man left the LIV Nightclub. When he returned to his Airbnb, an individual reportedly pulled a gun out and forced him to hand over his $80,000 Rolex watch and quickly left in a vehicle driven by another person. The following day, another alleged victim had their Rolex taken at gunpoint, and it was believed that the same suspect was involved. Several additional expensive timepieces had reportedly been taken from others in the area, many of whom encountered the suspect after leaving local clubs.

Several agencies worked together to investigate the incidents, including the Miami Beach Police Department, the City of Miami Police Department, the Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office, and the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. Using footage from surveillance cameras, they were able to find out that the alleged getaway car belonged to the sister of a 30-year-old man. They suspected he was the perpetrator, and a woman who was previously convicted of similar crimes was the driver. They believed each alleged victim was followed home before being robbed at gunpoint. The authorities searched the man’s home for possible evidence of his involvement. While there, they reportedly found $16,400 and more than $176,000 worth of items they believed had been stolen.

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