Theft Crimes

Jacksonville Wedding Planner Arrested on Theft Charges

Published on: July 31, 2008 | by Lasnetski Gihon Law

A Jacksonville, Florida wedding planner who ran a business called Princess and Company was arrested this week after complaints were made to Jacksonville police and the State Attorney’s office that she took money from prospective brides to plan their weddings but pocketed the money instead, according to an article on www.News4jax.com. The Jacksonville wedding planner is accused of stealing more than $40,000 paid by various people for wedding planning services.

It is not uncommon in Jacksonville for alleged victims to file a criminal report with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office or make a complaint to the State Attorney’s office based on allegations that a contractor or other business person has taken money for personal gain that was intended to be used for professional services. The question becomes whether the alleged conduct was a crime or just bad business that is more properly dealt with in the civil court system. The answer to that question will often depend on different factors such as the facts of each case, the nature of the business, the number of alleged victims, the amount of work performed and the course of conduct and understanding between the parties.

Florida Medicare Fraud is Significant According to Study

Published on: July 17, 2008 | by Lasnetski Gihon Law

One form of Medicare fraud occurs when a doctor or provider of medical supplies seeks reimbursement from Medicare for medical services or equipment that was never provided or for an amount greater than the service or equipment was worth. When the system works, a doctor or medical supply company will provide a service or piece of medical equipment to a patient covered by Medicare and then submit a proper reimbursement form to Medicare for payment. However, because of the bureaucratic and wasteful nature of the Medicare program, this system is wrought with fraud.

There were approximately $93 million in fraudulent Medicare claims in the United States from 2000 to 2007, according to a recent congressional study which was reported at Sfgate.com. The study found that millions of dollars were being paid to medical supply companies via reimbursement forms based on prescriptions that were over ten years old and/or that were from dead doctors. Florida, which has a high number of Medicare claims due to the age of its population, had more than $2 million in Medicare claims paid to medical supply companies based on prescriptions from 114 dead doctors; over $500,000 was paid for prescriptions from a single doctor who died in 1999.

An amazing 27% of dead doctors in Florida still had an active Medicare ID number that could be used to seek payment through Medicare.

Jacksonville Area Officials Focus on Contractors Soliciting Business Without a License

Published on: July 14, 2008 | by Lasnetski Gihon Law

In Atlantic Beach, officials for the Department of Business and Professional Regulation have been cracking down on contractors who solicit customers for work they are not licensed to perform, according to an article on www.Firstcoastnews.com. According to the report, contractors in the Jacksonville area were advertising on the popular website Craigslist for services that require a license but were not in fact licensed. They would then agree to perform the work, take an initial deposit and then disappear.

The State of Florida regulates and licenses contractors who perform work such as additions to a home, roofing, air conditioning, plumbing and electrical work. In order to obtain a license, contractors generally must pass an exam, take continuing education courses, prove that they are financially stable and show proof of insurance.

Hackers Steal PIN Codes From ATM Machines

Published on: July 12, 2008 | by Lasnetski Gihon Law

For every ATM card or debit card that is issued by a bank or other financial institution to a customer, there is a PIN code that allows the customer to access the funds in the account. The PIN codes are supposed to be among the most heavily secured elements of the banking transactions. However, according to court documents and a report on Sfgate.com, thieves have been able to access numerous PIN codes and millions of dollars of bank customers’ money by breaking into the computer network of automated teller machines (ATM”s) at various 7-Eleven convenience stores.

Customers’ PIN codes are supposed to be protected by the banks and other financial institutions with the highest level of encryption (the use of secret coding to prevent others from reading information). However, some operators of ATM’s are not using the recommended strong encryption methods allowing hackers to access the PIN data that goes from the ATM’s to the computer systems that process the transactions.

Law enforcement officials do not know exactly how the thieves accessed the PIN codes, but believe it was done remotely via a server. As a result, customers and potential victims would not notice anything different about an ATM, the use of which could potentially result in the theft of their PIN code.

Florida Seeing an Increase in Theft of Gas

Published on: July 10, 2008 | by Lasnetski Gihon Law

According to police officials in various counties in Florida, one result of the increase in gas prices is a corresponding increase in the number and degree of theft cases involving gas. Some of the thefts are committed on a small scale and involve siphoning gas from the gas tanks of vehicles or tampering with gas tanks at the gas stations. Other thefts are more significant and involve the theft of hundreds of gallons of gas from fuel tanks. This kind of theft likely takes a planned and concerted effort involving multiple people.

In one criminal case out of Marion County (which is about 100 miles Southwest of Jacksonville, Florida), a couple was arrested for grand theft and burglary for stealing gas after drilling a hole in a gas tank. According to the article at OrlandoSentinel.com, the male suspect left his power drill, which had his name on it, at the scene of the crime.

Financial Identify Theft Crime Examples

Published on: June 21, 2008 | by Lasnetski Gihon Law

Financial identity theft crimes are becoming more common in Florida as people resort to using less cash in favor of credit and debit cards. The following are a couple examples of increasingly common ways people are committing financial identity fraud to obtain the names and numbers on credit and debit card accounts so they can be later used without the cardholder’s authorization.

One method of financial identity fraud is referred to as key logging. It can happen in two primary ways. First, a person will attach a device to a computer through the keyboard port that can document a person’s key strokes when the computer is used. For instance, an offender may attach the device to a computer at a public library. When a victim uses the computer and types information on the keyboard, the offender can come back and remove the device and determine what keys the victim hit while using the computer. Alternatively, software is available that can serve the same purpose. After visiting a certain website, opening an email or getting a computer virus, a computer may acquire software that records a person’s keystrokes and sends the information to another location to be accessed by an offender.

Another method used to commit financial identity fraud is called skimming. This occurs when the offender uses a device that records the information on the magnetic strip on a credit or debit card as well as the information entered on the keypad. The device can be used in places where people swipe their credit or debit cards, such as ATM machines, gas station pumps and other such terminals. It can also be done in the various situations where a person gives a waiter, retailer or other vendor a credit card to be swiped and returned to the customer.

Jacksonville Store Looking for Notorious Shoplifter. What Stores Look for to Identify Shoplifting.

Published on: June 15, 2008 | by Lasnetski Gihon Law

A Jacksonville (Duval County), Florida woman is a known criminal who shoplifts at various department stores. She was most recently seen stealing items at a Target store on Monument Road in Jacksonville, Florida, according to an article on www.Firstcoastnews.com. Department stores in Florida and across the country lose a significant amount of money to shoplifters every year. As a result, they have taken steps to identify and arrest shoplifters before they can leave the store with the merchandise. Department stores now often have elaborate video surveillance, scanners that detect when a stolen item is leaving the store and undercover loss prevention officers inside the stores looking for potential shoplifters.

What signs do loss prevention officers and police officers look for to identify a shoplifter? There are several characteristics that shoplifters exhibit when they are in a store looking for something to steal. Loss prevention officers look for people who appear nervous and avoid eye contact with others, who wander around the store without buying anything, who leave the store and return within a short period of time, who linger in areas that are difficult to see, who keep looking around for people watching them and who come into the store with loose clothing, a big bag or other containers that can conceal a stolen item.

Crime of Copper Theft to be Become a Felony with Increased Sentences in Florida

Published on: March 26, 2008 | by Lasnetski Gihon Law

In Jacksonville, (Duval County) Florida, the crime of copper theft is increasing significantly, according to a recent article from First Coast News. Copper theft typically occurs when a person steals or breaks open air conditioning units in buildings and homes and steals the copper out of the units. That valuable copper is then resold for approximately $4 per pound.

Judging by the number of Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office police reports, there are several incidents of copper theft each week in the Jacksonville area because the crime is fairly easy to commit and the fruits of the crime are in high demand. Additionally, copper theft is currently classified as a misdemeanor in Florida which means that the maximum jail sentence if a person is convicted of the crime is 12 months.

However, in an effort to reduce the frequency of these crimes along with the often significant cost of the damage to homes and buildings that often accompany copper theft, the Florida legislature is working towards making copper theft a first degree felony which would subject people convicted of copper theft to potentially spending multiple years in prison and other penalties.

Dealing in Stolen Property in Florida: Knowing What You Should Know

Published on: March 15, 2008 | by Lasnetski Gihon Law

The Florida legislature has made it a crime (punishable by up to 15 years) to traffic in, or endeavor to traffic in, property that you know, or should know, is stolen. The key words here are “should know.” The State doesn’t have to prove that you actually did know the property was stolen, only that you should have known.

The common Dealing in Stolen Property case arises when a person pawns property at a local pawn shop. If that property has been reported stolen in a recent (or even distant) burglary, the person that pawned the property is generally arrested for dealing in stolen property, regardless of whether there is any nexus between the burglary and the pawning.

The problem with the prosecution is that there generally is a lack of evidence concerning whether the person that pawned the property knew or should have known that the property was stolen. Most property does not come with a tag that reads “Stolen.” For example, you cannot tell whether a lawn mower is stolen by simply looking at it. Ownership of property can legally change hands with nothing more than a handshake. For example, Mr. Smith certainly can give Mr. Jones his lawn mower to pay off a debt that he owes Mr. Jones. And Mr. Jones can certainly pawn that lawnmower to recover the money that he loaned Mr. Smith.