Pair Caught in Alleged Mall Gift Card Scam

Michael Leone, 30, of 5 Jay Rd., Billerica, Mass., and Amy Hill, 30, with no fixed address, were arrested Sept. 30 on warrants for Theft by Deception (Consolidation), a Class A Felony. The arrest relates to thefts from the Pheasant Lane Mall back in June.

On June 28 Nashua Police Department received a report that two suspects had been performing fraudulent clothing returns at a clothing store in the mall and were receiving gift cards from the stores. These suspects were then allegedly selling these gift cards at pawn shops.

Members of the Nashua Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division furthered this investigation and were able to identify Hill and Leone as suspects in these thefts. Over the last four months, Hill and Leone each performed numerous fraudulent clothing returns and each fraudulently obtained in excess of $1,500 in gift cards from these returns, police said.

A Class A Felony is punishable by up to 15 years imprisonment, exclusive of fines. Hill and Leone were each held at the Nashua Police Department on $10,000 cash or surety bail pending their arraignments at Nashua District Court.