Detectives say they’ve broken up a theft ring in Ventura County which might make you think twice about buying gift cards.
Investigators say they caught two Chinese nationals who stole hundreds of gift cards from a Moorpark store. The cards were unused. Ventura County Sheriff’s detectives think the thefts were part of what’s known as a “card draining” operation.
Cards are stolen, unwrapped at another location, and then the bar codes are recorded, or replaced with other bar codes. The thieves then rewrap the cards, and sneak them back into stores. When someone buys and loads money onto the cards, the balances are drained.
Investigators with the county’s new Retail Theft Task Force say they recovered about 800 stolen gift cards. The two men were arrested on felony conspiracy to commit retail theft charges.
