A Boca Raton man faces charges of fraud and theft after allegedly stealing items from several large toy and department stores and selling them on the Internet, according to a report from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
The report says Anthony Ricca, 37, of Circle South, Boca Raton, will face charges of grand theft, organized fraud and dealing in stolen property on the Internet.
PBSO said the suspect allegedly stole items from Target, Wal-Mart and Toys R Us, and then sold them on eBay. The suspect was arrested last week, though the alleged crime had been going on for some time.
The report on the investigation said Ricca told officers he had been stealing about $150 of Lego merchandise each week for the past year. He estimated the total value of the items between $17,000 and $18,000, said investigators.
Ricca was quoted in the report as saying he would take the stolen merchandise home, then post it on eBay.
According to the report, a loss prevention manager for the Target Store chain told police that thefts had occurred at the store on Hagan Ranch Road in Boynton Beach. On one occasion, he said, the suspect came into the store a first time and purchased Lego Star Wars merchandise. Then, the manager told PBSO, the man came in a second time, picked up more Lego Star Wars items and left without paying.
The report said a surveillance camera showed the suspect carrying the items to his car and putting them in the trunk, which contained “numerous addition items of Lego products.”
Armed with a search warrant, officers visited Ricca’s home and allegedly found “hundreds” of Lego items.
Using the police computer, authorities determined that thefts had also taken place at Wal-Mart and Toys R Us stores.
http://www.bocaratonnews.com/news/local/1026-boca-man-charged-stealing-toys-selling-internet.php
By Dale M. King CITY EDITOR
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