Crime & Safety

Police Reports: Walgreens Assistant Manager Thwarts I.D. Thieves

Officers arrested a Clinton man for shoplifting, a Bridgeport man for burglary and a Monroe teen for assault. A credit card fraud case is under investigation.

The following information was supplied by the Monroe Police Department. No arrested person is guilty until so judged in a court of law.

 

Theft Averted

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Two men attempted to buy American Express gift cards using a bogus credit card at Walgreens, 275 Monroe Turnpike, Saturday, but police said quick thinking by the store's assistant manager foiled their plan.

The first suspect tried to use a credit card to purchase two $500 American Express gift cards, but police said the card would not register on the machine.

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"Oh there's always problems with this," he reportedly told the cashier. "Enter it by hand."

The cashier entered the number and the purchase went through, but he became suspicious because the credit card didn't look or feel right, according to police. He told the assistant manager.

Then the second suspect tried to buy gift cards and the first man said to use his card again. The assistant manager handled the transaction and purposely entered the wrong number so it would not go through. After two attempts, the suspect handed him another credit card to enter by hand and the assistant manager again intentionally entered the wrong number so it would not register, according to the report.

Police said he did this to stall the suspects, while the cashier called police. The identity theft suspects decided to leave the store and the assistant manager was able to jot down their license plate number, police said.

Soon after they left, police said the assistant manager voided the two gift cards Walgreens had sold to the first man.

The incident is under investigation.

 

Arrest for Assault

A 19-year-old Monroe man was arrested March 21 following a scuffle outside Buffalo Bill's Steakhouse, 650 Main Street.

Dylan Pallotta of Hannah Lane was charged with third-degree assault and released on a promise to appear in court on March 29.

Police said Pallotta exited the restaurant with his girlfriend and walked past three males, ages 17, 17 and 16.

After walking his girlfriend to the car, Pallotta allegedly had a verbal argument with the males that escalated and struck one of the 17-year-olds in the face and grabbed his sweatshirt, catching the victim's index finger and fracturing it in the process, according to the report.

The victim reported the incident at police headquarters at 8:39 p.m., police said.

 

Police Arrest Burglary Suspect

A Bridgeport man was arrested on a warrant Monday charging him in the Sept. 13,2011 burglary of a home on Old Newtown Road.

Joaquin Suarez, 37, of Fairfield Avenue was charged with four counts of third-degree burglary, third-degree larceny, fourth-degree larceny, second-degree larceny and conspiracy to commit third-degree burglary. He was held on $100,000 bond and arraigned.

A police investigation determined that Suarez entered the house through a window and stole jewelry and electronics, according to the report. Police said the house was in dissaray when the victim came home.

 

Police Arrest Shoplifting Suspect

Police arrested a Clinton man on a warrant Friday for allegedly stealing a hand-basket full of Crest whitening strips and electric tooth brushes from CVS, 535 Monroe Turnpike, on Feb. 7.

William Zukoff, 54, of West Shore Drive was charged with fifth-degree larceny and held on $5,000 bond.

Police said the loss prevention officer at CVS was able to jot down Zukoff's license plate number, providing the first break in the investigation.


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