CHICOPEE, MA — Four New York men were arrested Wednesday after police say they used stolen credit cards to purchase more than $5,000 in merchandise at a Walmart store.
Officers were dispatched to Walmart at approximately 4:37 p.m. Dec. 17 for a report of several men who had made purchases with what was believed to be a stolen credit card.
As officers responded, they were advised the suspects had left the store in a white BMW and were leaving the parking lot.
An officer who was at a medical call in the Home Depot parking lot located the BMW as it turned south onto Memorial Drive.
The officer activated his emergency lights to conduct a traffic stop, and the vehicle turned into the Chipotle parking lot and stopped.
The four occupants were identified as Jayden Thompson, 21, Javon Curtis Collins, 22, Jayden Gayle, 21, and Jaden Newell, 21, all of New York.
During the investigation, officers learned all four were involved in a scheme in which they used stolen debit and credit cards to purchase electronics and gift cards.
Walmart loss prevention had been alerted to the scheme earlier in the day by Northampton Walmart loss prevention.
The four individuals had been identified on camera as being involved with purchasing items at other area stores with stolen cards, including locations in North Adams, Northampton, West Haven, Connecticut, and New Jersey.
Police say the suspects obtained debit and credit card information and purchased items through Walmart’s online ordering system, then created QR codes to pay for the items.
During the booking process, police learned Newell had been using a fake name and his real name was Timothy Spencer.
Spencer had an active warrant for his arrest out of New York for homicide and was charged as a fugitive from justice and held pending extradition to New York.
Thompson was charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, identity fraud, conspiracy, receiving stolen property under $1,200, identity fraud with possession of tools with intent, and receiving stolen property over $1,200.
Gayle was charged with identity fraud, conspiracy, receiving stolen property under $1,200, identity fraud with possession of tools with intent, and receiving stolen property over $1,200.
Collins was charged with identity fraud, conspiracy, receiving stolen property under $1,200, identity fraud with possession of tools with intent, and receiving stolen property over $1,200.
Spencer was charged with fugitive from justice on court orders from New York and Virginia, furnishing false identification information to law enforcement, identity fraud, conspiracy, receiving stolen property under $1,200, identity fraud with possession of tools with intent, and receiving stolen property over $1,200.
