HAVERSTRAW — A 32-year-old Spring Valley man was arrested Sept. 8 on charges of criminal possession of stolen property after police said he was found selling a commercial vacuum cleaner purchased with a fraudulent credit card.
The Haverstraw Police Department received a report from an Ohio-based company regarding a fraudulent credit card transaction involving the purchase of a commercial vacuum cleaner valued at $999.99.
According to police, an individual placed a phone order and used a credit card later determined to be fraudulent.
The product was shipped to a business address in Pomona and was confirmed delivered and signed for.
The company was notified that the charge had been disputed by the credit card provider, resulting in a financial loss.
The stolen property was located for sale online, prompting investigators to make contact with the individual who had listed the item.
With assistance from the Rockland County Intelligence Center, Haverstraw police conducted an undercover operation at the Pomona location.
The operation led to a controlled purchase of the vacuum cleaner that was confirmed to have the same model and serial number as the one fraudulently obtained.
The suspect was charged with criminal possession of stolen property in the fifth degree.
The defendant’s name is being withheld due to the ongoing nature of the investigation.
The individual was processed and released on an appearance ticket pending a future court date.
