ST. CHARLES – An east side retailer reported a case of organized retail theft last week that also involved its store in Wheaton, according to a St. Charles police report.
A loss prevention officer with Stein Mart, 3619 E. Main St., told police Friday the fraudulent return scam began April 12 when a woman bought a $24.99 scarf at the St. Charles store and used its price tag on a return she made at the Wheaton location April 17. The scarf she returned was not Stein Mart merchandise, police reported.
That day in Wheaton, police reported, the woman bought a $49.99 skirt and $19.99 scarf. She reportedly returned a skirt and scarf – but not those she bought – in St. Charles on April 23 and was refunded the above amounts.
At the St. Charles store, she bought a $22.94 sweater and used that price tag April 28 in Wheaton with a faux fur coat, getting another refund, police reported.
The Stein Mart employee described this as "classic examples of organized retail theft," according to the report. Offenders are known to collect items from low-cost sources, such as garage sales, and buy similar items at retailers. They then use the price tags to return
nonmerchandise, leaving the retailer with items it cannot sell, police reported.
The loss in this scam totaled $117.91 between the two locations, police reported.
Police advised the store employee to file a police report in Wheaton.
Other than security footage and the credit card number, the store has no identifying information on the woman, police reported.
She does have a pattern of striking Saturdays.