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The three were arrested in connection with the incidents in July and August 2023, Stafford Township police announced in a Saturday, Mar. 2 news release. The department and nearby law enforcement agencies had received several reports of "distract and grab" thefts and credit card fraud.
All three were charged with theft, burglary, fraudulent use of a credit card, and conspiracy to commit theft. They were 39-year-old Augusto Telle Eche Italo of The Bronx, New York, 36-year-old Carmen Borilla Raez of Elizabeth, and 59-year-old Marco Rodriguez Perez of Paterson.
Stafford Township police received a report on Monday, July 8, 2023, of a woman who found fraudulent activity on one of her accounts and realized her wallet was stolen while shopping in Manahawkin. Investigators identified a male suspect after reviewing surveillance video from Walmart and Costco.
Police received another report on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, of theft from the Costco parking lot. Another woman said her wallet was missing from her purse after she was approached by a man.
Investigators said the man put a dollar on the ground behind her vehicle, tapped on her window, and told her she had dropped money. When she left the vehicle, another man opened the passenger side door and took her wallet from her purse.
Police said while the two men conducted the "distract and grab" scheme, a third person was a lookout. The three ran away before the woman realized her wallet was stolen.
Similar "distract and grab" incidents were reported across New Jersey and the tri-state area. The three suspects were eventually arrested in Clarkstown, NY.
Police suggested that you always lock your vehicle and close your purse when going into a store. You should not leave a purse or wallet in a shopping cart.
Anyone who sees a similar "distract and grab" incident should report it to the Stafford Township Police Department at 609-597-8581.
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