Lakewood Detective Poses as Doctor to Nab Thieves Who Posted Stolen Goods Online

lpd chargerOn January 9th at approximately 4:45 pm, a Ventura Drive resident reported that a package that was delivered to their home from New York was stolen from their front porch. Inside of the package was a Phoroptor, equipment used to conduct eye exams valued at $2,500.

The suspects contacted the sender in NYC in an attempt to sell the equipment back to him. After realizing that the equipment offered for sale was, in fact, the equipment that he had just shipped to his client in Lakewood, he immediately contacted the victim who in turn contact the Lakewood Police Department.

Within hours Det. Jason Pederson was able to locate the stolen equipment in an ad on Craigslist for $1,200. Posing as an area eye doctor, he contacted the seller and arranged a meeting to purchase the equipment.

At approximately 7:15 pm, Det. Jason Pederson and Det. Joseph Gregg met with the suspects at a local convenience store on New Hampshire Avenue.

After confirming the equipment was in fact the stolen property the suspects, identified as 26 year old Fritzley Francois of Lakewood and 29 year old Amy Morgan of Toms River were taken into custody by Detectives assigned to the Lakewood Police Department Street Crimes Unit.

Both were charged with theft, receiving and fencing. Francois’ bail was set at $22,500 and Morgan’s bail $15,000. [TLS]

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8 COMMENTS

  1. USPS is a federal govt agency. That would have been a federal offense if it was stolen from us mail delivery. Not sure about FedEx or UPS. Don’t think so.

  2. Beautiful work by the LPD.

    Stealing mail from the US Postal Service is of itself a Federal crime.

    Stealing a package from someone’s porch is not, unless the thief transports the stolen property across State lines, in which case the jurisdiction passes to the Feds.

    While this package originated in New York State, it was stolen AFTER it was transported across the State line, so the THEFT is within the jurisdiction of the State.

    However, once the thief called the sender in New York, the *telephone call* crossed State lines, so the offer to sell stolen goods becomes interstate and the FBI could get involved in the case if it chooses to do so.

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