New task force fights retail theft

VW independent staff/submitted information

PERRYSBURG TOWNSHIP — The recent arrests of two suspected fraudsters mark the first success of a new task force created to thwart organized retail theft, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, Wood County Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn and Perrysburg Township Police Chief Matt Gazarek announced on Tuesday.

“Organized retail theft victimizes the entire marketplace, from the merchants and producers to the consumers who are impacted by rising costs,” Yost said. “And this is just the beginning – kudos to Sheriff Wasylyshyn and Chief Gazarek for spearheading these efforts.”

On May 28, investigators with the Northwest Ohio Regional Retail Crime Task Force arrested James Haley, 30, of Columbus, and Shondel Tyshon Smith, 27, of Reynoldsburg, on fifth-degree felony charges of identity fraud and forgery.

The arrests followed a tip from a local Walmart reporting potential gift card fraud. Investigators arrested the suspects and located multiple gift cards that had been purchased with credit card information belonging to a victim in Florida. Authorities also seized a laptop and several payment cards. The investigation is ongoing.

“The apprehension and arrest of these two individuals is exactly the reason for a task force such as this,” Chief Gazarek said. “Many victims of credit card fraud don’t even realize their information has been compromised until it’s too late and charges are racked up in schemes like these two were doing. It’s our purpose and goal to bring down the fraud organizations that are coming to our area not only from different parts of the state but often times from out of state to commit retail crimes.”

The task force was established following the enactment of the Fight Organized Retail Crime and Empower Law Enforcement Act earlier this year. Among other things, the law, co-written by Yost’s office, authorizes the creation of law enforcement collaboratives to investigate organized retail theft – a crime that costs Ohio businesses upwards of $2 to $3 billion annually.

The crime typically involves groups stealing large amounts of merchandise from multiple stores and selling the items for profit. To offset the losses, some retailers have little choice but to raise prices.

The Northwest Ohio Regional Retail Crime Task Force is formed under the attorney general’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission.