Tag Archives: Theft

by | June 20, 2013 · 6:24 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: Pennsylvania Restaurant Manager Indicted For Stealing $75,000 Through “Fraudulent Transactions”

“…(the former manager) allegedly stole the money through “fraudulent transactions at the restaurant,” which may have fueled his gambling, hospitality industry employee theftstate police spokesman Lt. Stephen Jones said in September…(the owner) reported the thefts the same month Suozzo was arrested, according to court documents.   It was not clear how he discovered the alleged crime had taken place…”

A former manager at a White Township restaurant and golf club was indicted today on a theft charge after he allegedly stole more than $75,000 from his employer to fund a gambling habit. A Warren County grand jury returned an indictment today against James Suozzo, 56, of Route 57 in Franklin Township, on a theft charge.

At the time of his arrest in September, New Jersey State Police said Suozzo stole tens of thousands of dollars from Top of the Green Restaurant at Apple Mountain Golf Club while working as a restaurant and banquet manager. The investigation revealed Suozzo stole from April 2009 to June 4, 2011, court documents said.

Kiszonak did confirm Suozzo was fired.

For more:  http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/warren-county/express-times/index.ssf/2013/06/former_top_of_green_resturant.html

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by | May 30, 2013 · 5:58 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: New York Hotel Rooms Burglarized By Man Who Stole Housekeeping Master Key

“…An investigation found the housekeeping master key had been stolen. Maintenance personnel reported an individual had been seen using a card to enter a room other than his own, and more guests reported thefts and observations of someone entering rooms without authorization…A hotel thefthotel guest on the second floor claimed that when he returned to his room at 7 p.m. he found his suitcases unzipped, marks on a locked briefcase, two watches and other personal items missing, as well as the dresser from the room…”

After allegedly stealing the master key from the Super 8 Hotel on Route 17, a Hillburn, N.Y., man was arrested on charges of burglary, theft, and drug possession, according to Police Chief James Batelli. Frank Hadley, 40, who was a registered guest in a room on the third floor of the hotel from May 14-21, was arrested Monday, May 20, after an investigation by the Mahwah Police Department found he had stolen the master key and broke into hotel rooms.

Another guest, who was also staying on the second floor, reported that he was wakened by a knock at his door followed by the sound of the key card accessing the room. The guest went to grab the door and confronted the perpetuator who “rambled about having problems with satellite reception on the third floor,” Batelli said. The customer didn’t get a good look of the man at his door because of poor lighting, he said.

For more:  http://www.northjersey.com/news/209458021_Alleged_Mahwah_hotel_theif_stole_master_key.html

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by | May 28, 2013 · 5:59 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Solutions: Alaska Restaurant Uses “Facebook Posting” To Track Down Thieves Who Broke Into Company Freezer

“…In Facebook postings that began Saturday morning, the owner of Kriner’s Diner said they had surveillance camera footage of a car and at Restaurant Social Media Helps Find Thievesleast two suspects who, the diner’s owner alleges, broke into the company freezer just before 5 a.m. Saturday…Once the pictures hit the web, they spread rapidly online. The operator of the diner’s page said just one picture was shared nearly 48,000 times within 24 hours of being posted…”

The owners of a Midtown restaurant are crediting social media with helping nab the suspects who stole meat from the company freezer. The payoff came Sunday, just after noon, when Kriner’s Diner updated its Facebook page, writing that “Facebook friends” had spotted the car in question and called the police, resulting in an arrest.

It’s a call the restaurant’s owner said wouldn’t have happened without the postings on social media.

“I had mentioned what had happened on my page, and you know, tips just started pouring in and people wanted to help,” Andy Kriner said Monday. “I posted it on our Kriner’s Facebook page and within 30 hours, they were in custody.”

Kriner said he uses the social network often, posting specials and other information about his restaurant, but never before had he used it like this.

“An average post of mine has 1,500 views, and I have a lot of people go on there day to day just to look at our lunch specials,” he said. “I think that this probably had a lot to do with it.”

Kriner said he couldn’t comment on the details of the still-active investigation—he declined to disclose just how much meat or what other products were stolen, nor how many suspects had been arrested—but he said the postings on Facebook played a vital role making the arrest.

For more:  http://www.ktva.com/home/outbound-xml-feeds/Facebook-Helps-Nab-Suspect-in-Freezer-Theft-209112041.html

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by | May 26, 2013 · 6:38 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Indiana Hotel “Human Resources Employee” Fired After Issuing “Fraudulent Paychecks” To Himself

“…the HR director was solely responsible for issuing the paychecks for all employees at the hotel…Police were told that more than $7,045 was hospitality industry employee theftpaid to the employee beyond his regular earnings for his job, beginning in December…his boss told police that an internal investigation turned up evidence of the bogus extra paychecks, prompting the worker’s firing…”

A hotel executive has been fired after the hotel’s manager told police that he had been writing extra paychecks to himself. Airport police were called this week to the Radisson Indianapolis Airport, where the general manager handed officers copies of fraudulent paychecks that had been written to the hotel’s director of human resources.

General Manager Nitin Talati declined to comment in his hotel’s lobby on Thursday. His staff could be heard telling phone callers that the hotel was entirely booked for this week’s Indianapolis 500.

Police said Talati told them he had called the employee in when the checks were discovered and the worker admitted to writing himself the extra paychecks. The worker then signed a promissory note on April 12 agreeing to repay the money. Talati reported to police that none of the money had been repaid, so his company now wants to press charges.

For more:  http://www.theindychannel.com/news/call-6-investigators/former-hotel-executive-at-radisson-indianapolis-airport-accused-of-writing-himself-extra-paychecks

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by | May 16, 2013 · 5:50 am

Hospitality Industry Security Risks: Thirty Arizona Hotels Burglarized By “Electronic Door Hackers” Using Portable Programming Devices; TV’s, Laptops And Credit Cards Stolen

“…Surveillance video showed the suspects, both white males in their 20s, entering the hotel and then leaving with the victim’s suitcases… some Onity Electronic Lock30 local hotels — probably more — have been targeted by hotel hackers. Investigators believe there are more suspects than those caught on surveillance video…hotel hacking is not just a local problem. Because the technology used to open the electronic locks is so easy to obtain and use, hotel hacking is growing issue nationwide…”

A man and a woman have been burglarizing hotel and motel rooms in the Easy Valley and now Silent Witness is offering a reward for information about them. According to Silent Witness, the pair, dubbed “Hotel Hackers,” used portable programming devices to get into the rooms at various locations in Mesa, Tempe, Scottsdale and possibly Avondale. It’s not clear how many locations the pair has hit, but Silent Witness said the crime spree started on Feb. 25.

The suspects have stolen TVs, bedding, laptop computers and guests’ personal belongings, including credit cards.

Silent Witness released surveillance video (above) and photos of the pair, both of which were taken at a Walmart store where the suspects used a stolen credit card.

For more: http://www.azfamily.com/news/Hotel-Hackers-behind-burglaries-at-hotels-motels-in-East-Valley-207552391.html

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by | April 26, 2013 · 6:13 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: Las Vegas Hotel Guest Rooms Burglarized By Thieves “Walking Down Hallways And Door Pushing”; Victims Held In Bathroom While Personal Items Stolen

“…Thieves can walk down a hallway and just by slightly pushing on a door can determine those rooms that are left unsecured… But Hotel Burglariesjust days after the couple’s stuff was stolen from the Luxor, police arrested two men for a similar crime at Excalibur…This time police paperwork indicated the thieves held the victims in the bathroom and stole their stuff. Hueslkamp think it’s tied to his case and said the hotel should be responsible for what’s stolen…”

Some Las Vegas tourists expect to lose thousands gambling inside the casino, but if they’re not careful they could also get ripped off inside their hotel room. Huelskamp, an Ohio tourist, told Action News his story via Skype. He said that he and his fiance were staying at the Luxor and while they were sleeping a thief walked right into their room. It’s crime police call “door pushing” and it can happen at any hotel.

The couple took a photo of the door they thought closed behind them. There is no dead bolt and after a long road-trip to Las Vegas they went to bed thinking they were safe. “We went to bed, we know at 1:26 a.m. because we watched a movie on the iPad that was later stolen,” Huelskamp said. “It was no further than six inches away from my beautiful wife’s head.”
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Police don’t know how often door pushing happens because they get hundreds of reports of burglaries every day. After this happened and even in travels today I am still a little weary about staying in a hotel no matter where we are,” he said.
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The Luxor sent Action News a statement that reads “We are sorry for the Hueslkamp’s unfortunate experience. Our resorts have extensive security and surveillance systems in place but there is no substitute for being alert. Even on vacation, guests should always remain aware of their surroundings and ensure their hotel room doors are securely closed and locked at all times.”
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by | April 12, 2013 · 6:38 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: East Coast Hotels Victimized By Man Who “Skipped Out On Hotel Bills” While Posing As Corporate Employee; $60,000 For A Presidential Suite

“…housekeepers found paperwork in the room belonging to (defendant)…a Residence Inn employee told police she received a call from Hotel Theft By DeceptionSerra in which he stated he would pay the bill if the Residence Inn would sign a waiver promising not to charge him with any crime. No agreement was made…Police then were notified the Residence Inn received an email from someone claiming to be a Raytheon employee, stating Serra would be staying there for 15 nights. The email address was identical to the one used in Serra’s February stay, police said…”

A Lowell man is accused of skipping out on bills in upscale hotels in seven states, running up charges while posing as an employee of major corporations.

In one case, prosecutors allege that in March, Michael Serra ran up a $60,000 bill for a stay in the presidential suite at the Ritz-Carlton in Boston under the name Dennis Colling. Serra allegedly said he worked for Citigroup, but does not.

When confronted by Tewksbury police and a U.S. Secret Service agent, Serra allegedly confessed to committing crimes up and down the East Coast for two to three years. The Residence Inn at 1775 Andover St., Tewksbury, reported that a person named Carter Whitmore, who represented himself as a Raytheon employee, skipped out on a $6,349 bill in February. Court documents state that Raytheon refused to pay for the room because it had no employee by that name.

For more:  http://www.lowellsun.com/local/ci_23010643/city-man-held-hotel-fraud

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by | March 28, 2013 · 6:08 am

Hospitality Industry Crime Risks: Arizona Hotel Guest Reports $2,000 Stolen After Front Desk Accidently Gives Out Victim’s Room Key

“…The hotel front desk worker told police he accidentally gave the suspect the victim’s room key after forgetting the room was already Hotel Theft Surveillanceassigned…a short time later, the suspect and an unidentified man checked out, saying the room was dirty, according to the police report. By the time the victim came back to her room, her purse and clothes bag were gone…”

A 24-year-old Arizona woman had an interesting response when given the wrong room key at an Oak Creek hotel last week: Steal the clothes and purse of the person staying there. According to a police report, the woman took advantage of a mix-up at the Days Inn front counter and got off with more than $2,000 worth of valuables and clothes belonging to a woman staying at the hotel with co-workers.

The purse contained a phone, credit cards, social security card, $30 in cash, a diamond ring valued at $1,500 and a check made out to her for $1,500. The check and credit cards were canceled.

Clothes, an iPad, sunglasses, an umbrella and more jewelry were also stolen, according to the report.

The front desk worker told the victim that Days Inn is responsible for paying to replace the items stolen, according to police.

For more:  http://oakcreek.patch.com/articles/room-key-mix-up-leads-to-theft-of-purse-clothes

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by | March 23, 2013 · 12:10 pm

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: South Dakota Restaurant Account Manager Charged With Stealing More Than $100,000; Deposited Checks Into Personal Account Over 7 Month Period

“…(the defendant) is accused of depositing money into her own bank account on 12 occasions, mostly through checks, with the thefts targeting Minervas of Bismarck, N.D. and the Phillips Avenue Diner in Sioux Falls totaling $97,477…(she) also reportedly deposited hospitality industry employee theftmoney electronically three other times, for a total loss to the business of $101,600. All the thefts took place between February and September last year…”

A former account manager for Minervas and the Phillips Avenue Diner has been charged with stealing more than $100,000 from the company last year. Bobbie Sue Davis, 28, worked for WR Restaurants Management when the thefts began, according to court paperwork. The company manages restaurants across North and South Dakota.

During an interview with an SFPD detective on Nov. 19, Davis allegedly admitted to stealing the money, saying she’d been having “personal financial issues” that year.

Davis was arrested on a charge of aggravated grand theft by embezzlement of $100,000 or more on Feb. 5 and released on bond. A grand jury indicted Davis this week. If convicted, she could spend up to 15 years in prison.

For more:  http://www.argusleader.com/article/20130322/UPDATES/130322021/Woman-accused-embezzling-more-than-100K-from-area-restaurant-chain

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by | March 22, 2013 · 5:48 am

Hospitality Industry Theft Risks: Maine Restaurant Owner Convicted Of Stealing Over $67,000 From Customers By “Double Billing Credit Cards”

“…(the defendant) stole money from her customers by double billing their credit cards, the prosecutor said…(she) took credit card slips from sales at her restaurant during the summer of 2010 and later that year, and ran them through for payment a second time after the employee theftrestaurant had closed…may have stolen as much as $80,000 through the fraudulent credit card charges.”

A former local restaurant owner who stole more than $67,000 from banks and customers through check and credit card fraud, but who has since paid it back, has been ordered to spend 60 days in jail for her crimes. Having pleaded no contest last fall to two felony theft charges, Jennifer Lozano, 43, on Thursday received an overall sentence of five years with all but 60 days suspended and will have to serve two years of probation upon her release.

As part of a plea deal, prosecutors had agreed to cap the unsuspended part of the sentence at nine months if Lozano paid $67,399 in restitution to people and financial institutions she stole money from. She did so, paying off the final $18,000 she owed in restitution just as the sentencing hearing was about to begin Thursday afternoon in Hancock County Superior Court.

Kellett said an investigation revealed that Lozano conducted 1,488 fraudulent duplicate credit card transactions in the fall of 2010. She repaid many customers who complained, and many were repaid by their credit card companies, but she did not repay everyone who lost money through the scheme before police learned about it. As part of the restitution order, Lozano had to repay $15,300 to a credit card company that had lost money through the fraud and to customers whom she had not already repaid.

But Kellett said that restitution amount does not reflect the full scope of the illegal credit card transactions that Lozano made. Investigators believe that not all the double-billed customers complained, and so were not repaid either by Lozano or by their credit card firms.

For more: http://bangordailynews.com/2013/03/21/news/hancock/former-mdi-restaurant-owner-gets-60-days-for-67000-theft/?ref=polbeat

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