Crime & Safety
New York Man Accused Of Store Returns Scam In Westport: Police
The suspect is accused of stealing an expensive item from one store and returning it at another store, as part of the alleged scam.
WESTPORT, CT — A 25-year-old Mount Vernon, New York man was arrested by Westport police on a larceny charge this month, after authorities said the man stole an $800 item from the HomeGoods in town and used that item in a returns scam.
Movado Thomas was arrested by Westport police at Bronx County Court in New York on Nov. 16, brought back to Westport and was charged with third-degree larceny.
According to authorities, Thomas is alleged to have shoplifted the items from the store in December 2020.
Find out what's happening in Westportfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
"[HomeGoods] Loss Prevention investigated and determined that the same suspect who stole the item, then returned the item without a receipt to another HomeGoods store where they were issued a store credit," wrote Westport Police Lt. Eric Woods in a statement. "The suspect then used the store credit and a legitimate credit card to make purchases. He then returned all of the items with the new receipt and received a full refund back to his credit card."
With the help of other law enforcement agencies, Westport police were able to determine Thomas as the suspect, and obtained a warrant for his arrest.
Find out what's happening in Westportfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Thomas was arraigned in Stamford Superior Court on Nov. 17 and was released. His next court date is Jan. 22, 2024.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
