LYNNWOOD — Members of a national organized retail theft ring were arrested Tuesday after allegedly stealing from the Target in Lynnwood, police said.
The group out of Michigan consists of two adults and one teen, according to police. A corporate Target investigator told Lynnwood police the trio is responsible for over $300,000 in stolen merchandise across the country.
On Tuesday, one of the suspects, a 21-year-old man from Flint, Michigan loaded three identical Lego sets into a cart at the Target on Alderwood Mall Parkway, according to a Lynnwood police report. Security watched along via surveillance video.
The Flint man got in the checkout line. He got out of the line for what appeared to be a phone call, then reentered the line, a Lynnwood police detective wrote in his report.
While he waited in line, authorities heard a trio had just run a scam at the Target in Everett. They had stolen about $4,000 worth of merchandise, the detective wrote. A picture of the Everett suspects matched the Flint man standing at the register in Lynnwood.
The two other suspects in the Everett scam were also reportedly in line.
The scam is complicated. The suspects convince the cashier to run the transaction as cash after their “cash card” is declined, the detective explained in his report. The cash drawer opens, but the suspects don’t give the cashiers any money. A receipt is printed and given to the suspect, making it appear he paid for the merchandise, totaling more than $930.
After the Flint man finished the scam, he reportedly headed toward the exit. Lynnwood police arrested him outside the store for investigation of first-degree organized retail theft and first-degree theft.
While police arrested him, the teenager tried to run the same scam with a different cashier, according to police. When he asked to run the transaction as cash, however, he was turned away.
The other adult in the trio, a 20-year-old Georgia man, went to the same cashier the Flint man had used. He put two gift cards and other goods on the conveyor belt. He put a card in the sales machine. After talking to the cashier, she pressed the cash tendered button on her screen, according to the detective’s report. This opened the cash drawer and printed a receipt. She gave the man the receipt, but he didn’t give her any money.
Police arrested the Georgia man after he tried to flee officers. His stolen merchandise reportedly totaled over $2,100.
The teenager then tried again, running the same scam, police allege. He exited the store with $5,100 in goods, but was arrested after he tried running from police.
On Thursday, the adult suspects remained in the Snohomish County Jail with bail set at $50,000. The minor faces extradition to Florida where he faces felony larceny and burglary charges, Lynnwood police reported.
The arrests were made as part of a Lynnwood police emphasis patrol Tuesday at Lowe’s, Target and Kohl’s. In total, police said they arrested 15 people: seven on felony allegations and eight for misdemeanors.
Jake Goldstein-Street: 425-339-3439; jake.goldstein-street@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @GoldsteinStreet.
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