Reader ‘pungentpeppers’ alerted us to this new twist on the immigrant-run convenience store fraud we discussed here yesterday. (For new readers, this is a side-interest here at RRW).
I wouldn’t be surprised if these perps are also into the food stamp fraud business. In fact, a few times I’ve seen mentioned that if convenience store shelves are not well-stocked it’s a tip-off to authorities that some other nefarious business (including selling drugs or guns) is being transacted there. So, they gotta keep stuff on the shelves!
These guys were arrested for buying stolen property from large grocery chains to resell in their Mom & Pop stores—in Alabama of all places!
From AL.com:
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama–Huntsville police arrested five local convenience store employees and charged them with reselling items stolen from Kroger and Publix.
Investigators partnered with Kroger and Publix grocery stores for several months, investigating convenience stores that police say bought merchandise stolen from Kroger and Publix. According to police, this detail, combined with previous operations, resulted in a reduction of retail thefts for the two grocery stores.
The police are still looking for the sixth man—Fatah—alleged to be involved in the fencing ring. We may learn later that they were into more than stolen property.
Of course, as always there is no mention of nationalities or immigration status of those arrested. Is there no real investigative reporter curious enough to uncover how all these American convenience stores are being bought up by a large percentage of Middle Easterners?
For more than you ever wanted to know about food stamp fraud at convenience stores, click here for our extensive archives. Go here to see how you can report suspected SNAP fraud near you.
See more photos of those charged, here.