Gift Card Scammers Hit Pair of Local Stores: Police

ALEXANDRIA, VA — The Fairfax County Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying two individuals who defrauded stores in the Belle View Shopping Center in obtaining gift cards

The shopping center is south of the city of Alexandria, several blocks west of the George Washington Memorial Parkway.

The first incident occurred at around 9 p.m. Feb. 1 at the Safeway grocery store at 1624 Belle View Blvd., the police said in a statement. A man entered the store and bought more than $1,300 worth of gift cards with counterfeit money.

The man "made threatening statements toward the cashier and fled after obtaining the gift cards," the police said.

He's described by police as black, 30 to 40 years old, about 5 feet 10 inches to 5 feet 11 inches tall, and weighing around 200 pounds. He was wearing a black hat, gray jacket and black pants, and he had a beard.

The second incident occurred at around 3 p.m. Feb. 24 at the CVS Pharmacy at 1636 Belle View Blvd. A man entered the pharmacy, claiming "that he had been armed with explosives by a third party and needed to purchase gift cards," the police said.

He then gave counterfeit money to the cashier in exchange for gift cards valued at more than $800.

This suspect is described by police as black, 45 to 55 years old, about 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing about 150 to 160 pounds. He was wearing a black hat, black sunglasses, tan pants and a white long-sleeved, button-up shirt, and he was clean-shaven.

Anyone with information related to this case is asked to contact Detective Wallace at 703-619-4308, or:

• Call Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131
• Contact Crime Solvers electronically by visiting www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org
• Text-a-tip by texting “TIP187” plus your message to CRIMES (274637)
• Call 1-866-411-TIPS (8477)

Images: The Fairfax County Police Department released surveillance photos Wednesday of the men who defrauded the CVS Pharmacy, above, and the Safeway, below, in the Belle View Shopping Center.