Arthur Shamilevich Gerbekov Stole $1,000 Sweater In July To “Get His Brother” Something Nice, Gets Arrested | August 3
Boca Raton: When in Florida, do as the Florida man does. Shoplifting a sweater in July might have been the giveaway to Florida man Arthur Shamilevich Gerbekov’s scheme.
Before police were done, they allege, they had come across a sophisticated steal-and-return operation, as well as devices used to turn ATMs into ITMs — identify theft machines.
According to a Boca Raton police report two loss-prevention officers at Saks Fifth Avenue told police they watched on security monitors as Gerbekov, accompanied by a man and woman, neatly folded a dark blue Ralph Lauren sweater and shoved it down his pants under his sweatshirt.
The supervisors said they saw the second man place a black Burberry hat worth $320 and a pair of black Burberry shorts worth $450 into a white shopping bag from a Lululemon clothing store. The three people then walked out. One store officer nabbed Gerbekov, but the woman and the second man got away.
After watching the store video, a Boca Raton officer questioned Gerbekov, who gave permission for police to search his Jeep Grand Cherokee in the mall parking lot. There officers found shopping bags containing numerous items, as well as marijuana and a grinder and an air pistol.
Gerbekov said he stole the sweater because he’d wanted to give his brother a nice birthday present but didn’t have the money for it. But the store officers told police Gerbekov was in the store’s database as being part of a ring of shoplifters who frequently target Saks stores.
They alleged thieves steal an item from one Saks store, then exchange it for a more expensive item and pay the difference with a credit card. They then return the more expensive item at yet another store, and get a full refund on a credit card.
Arthur Shamilevich Gerbekov was arrested and charged with grand theft between $750 and $20,000.
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