Earlier today, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution announced that it charged a man for stealing more than $28,000 worth of electrical wire in a fraudulent barcode scheme.
According to an official statement from Moody’s office and a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office investigation, Edrey Santo Rojas stole rolls of wire through fraudulent sales and returns from multiple Lowe‘s and Home Depot stores in 15 counties throughout Florida and the Southeast United States. In a seven-month period, Rojas fraudulently used authentic barcodes from lesser-priced electrical wire to purchase expensive rolls of wire. Rojas then conducted fraudulent returns by taking products in the store that matched the receipt from the prior purchase to customer service for a full refund. Rojas is charged with multiple felony counts of retail theft.
“This thief stole more than $28,000 worth of wire rolls from home-improvement stores throughout 15 counties in a fraudulent barcode scheme,” Moody said. “He committed more than 70 different thefts crossing multiple judicial circuits. Thanks to law enforcement and our Statewide Prosecutors, his spree is wired shut and now he faces multiple felony charges.”
According to the investigation, Rojas took authentic barcodes off smaller rolls of wire in the same color and placed those barcodes on larger rolls of wire that cost between $300 to $500 a piece. Rojas then purchased the wire at the store using a debit card, but at the steeply discounted price. Rojas then traveled to a different store, entered empty-handed and selected wire matching the receipt to conduct a fraudulent in-store return.
In the seven-month period, Rojas committed 78 confirmed and documented thefts and fraudulent returns from multiple Lowe’s and Home Depots in nine individual judicial circuits throughout Florida. The surveillance and itemized receipts show a total proven loss of $28,405.
Attorney General Moody’s OSP charged Rojas with two counts of individually committing or coordinating with others the commission of retail theft $3,000 or more, a second-degree felony; one count of individually committing or coordinating with others the commission of retail theft 20 or more items, a second-degree felony; and individually committing or coordinating with others the commission of retail theft $750 or more, a third-degree felony.
Rojas is currently in custody for previous charges of burglary to an unoccupied structure, possession of burglary tools with intent to use, trespassing posted construction sites, resisting without violence and other counts. In addition, Rojas has a no bond detainer for three separate cases, each involving fraudulent use of a credit card and grand-theft charges.
Attorney General Moody’s OSP will handle the case.
