4 Arrested In $130K Home Depot Fraud Ring: GTPD

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — Four people were arrested and an organized retail theft ring that defrauded Home Depot out of $130,000 was taken down following a one-year investigation in Gloucester Township, police said on Thursday.

A search warrant was executed at the home of one of the accused on Mary Ellen Lane on Aug. 3, police said on Thursday. During the investigation, detectives identified 68-year-old Raymond L. Wylie, of Erial, as the leader of the ring that targeted Home Depot stores in Camden, Burlington and Gloucester counties.

Steven R. Wylie, 62, of Atco; Neal C. Kendall, 57, of Clementon Borough; and Toscha L. Kendall-Cook, 50, of Clementon Borough, were also arrested in connection with this investigation, police said.

Raymond Wylie is accused of organizing a ring that used stolen items and fake merchandise cards to conduct thousands of fraudulent sales transactions, police said. An undercover detective infiltrated the ring, selling power tools and merchandise cards to Raymond Wylie, who believed the items were stolen, police said.

During the search of the Mary Ellen Lane home detectives said they seized numerous store merchandise cards, stolen power tools, hundreds of Home Depot store receipts from fraudulent transactions and approximately $700 in cash.

Raymond Wylie was charged with one count of second-degree leader of an organized retail theft enterprise; one count of second-degree conspiracy to be the leader of a retail theft enterprise; one count of second-degree conspiracy of the leader of a retail theft enterprise; one count of second-degree fencing; and one count of third-degree receiving stolen property. He was processed and remanded to the Camden County Correctional Facility. He was released with conditions while awaiting further court proceedings.

Kendall was charged with one count of second-degree leader of an organized retail theft enterprise; one count of second-degree conspiracy to be the leader of a retail theft enterprise; one count of second-degree conspiracy of the leader of a retail theft enterprise; one count of second-degree fencing; one count of third-degree shoplifting; one count of third-degree fencing; one count of third-degree possession of CDS; and one count of possession or use of an anti-shoplifting or inventory control device countermeasure. He was processed and remanded to the Camden County Correctional Facility, where he is being detained pending further court proceedings.

Steven Wylie was charged with one count of second-degree conspiracy to be a part of an organized retail theft enterprise; one count of third-degree receiving stolen property; and one count of third-degree shoplifting. He was processed and remanded to the Camden County Correctional Facility. He was released with conditions while awaiting further court proceedings.

Kendall-Cook was charged with one count of third-degree shoplifting. She was processed and released on a criminal summons.

This investigation is ongoing, and police are looking to identify anyone else who might have been involved in this organized retail theft crew. Anyone who has additional information on this crime is asked to contact the Gloucester Township Police Special Investigations Unit at 856- 374-5708.

Gloucester Township police lead this investigation with the assistance of the Winslow Township Police Department, the New Jersey State Police — Interstate Theft South Unit, the Washington Township Police Department, the Waterford Township Police Department, the Cherry Hill Police Department, the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the Corporate Loss Prevention Department of Home Depot Corporation.

Detectives from the Gloucester Township Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit, the New Jersey State Police and the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office executed the search warrant at the home on Mary Ellen Lane.

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