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Shoplifting arrest may solve ring of thefts at truck stops www.privateofficer.com
A routine shoplifting arrest in eastern Indiana might have solved a ring of thefts at Flying J truck stops across the country.
Indiana State Police arrested Shane Nelson, 47, of Corinth, Miss., and Richard Gutierrez, 35, of Tucumari, N.M., about 8:20 p.m. Friday at the Flying J Truck Stop at the Ind. 3 interchange on I-70 near New Castle.
Police say the two may be responsible for hundreds of thefts from the truck stop chain.
They reportedly would steal an item and come back later claiming they purchased it and planned to give it as a gift but lost the gift receipt, said Sgt. John Bowling, public information officer.
After getting a gift receipt, they would go to another Flying J and return the items for money, he said.
Flying J officials released bulletins with pictures of the men taken from their security cameras to all of their truck stops.
Clerks in the New Castle store recognized the men when they tried to return items.
Police aren’t sure how much has been stolen or the exact locations where the thefts occurred.
However, truck stop officials believe the two men are responsible for more than 500 thefts at their stores, police said.
Both men are being held in the Henry County Jail on a felony charge of attempted theft. Nelson also has a theft warrant from Illinois.
Police are investigating the other possible thefts and could bring additional charges.
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