Police: Suspects Used Stolen Items To Defraud Nordstrom

Lee Royal Brown, a wanted suspect in the Nordstrom theft and fraud case, via Montgomery County Police Kenyon Saunders, Lee Royal Brown, a wanted suspect in the Nordstrom theft and fraud case, via Montgomery County Police

Police today arrested three Baltimore natives, one a former employee of Nordstrom, for what they say are 30 cases of fraud at the Nordstrom location in Montgomery Mall, among other charges.

There is an active warrant out for a fourth suspect who was not arrested today.

Montgomery County Police say they began investigating the case last July after Nordstrom loss prevention officers alerted them to a fraud scheme occurring at D.C. area Nordstrom stores. Police say the group also ran the scheme at area Sunglass Hut locations.

Detectives say the group would purchase an item at the store and obtain a gift receipt and standard purchase receipt. Police say that one of the suspects would then visit another store location to return the legitimately purchased item without a receipt for cash. The suspects would then return the identical items, apparently stolen, using the gift receipt and the standard purchase receipt in exchange for cash refunds.

Police say they arrested Charmaine Rogers, 38, of the 2300 block of North Pulaski Street in Baltimore, Antwine Finch, 31, and Kenyon Saunders, 24, both of the 5000 block of Clifton Avenue in Baltimore today. Finch used to work at Nordstrom.

Police say approximately $200,000 worth of stolen merchandise was recovered from their homes.

An active warrant is out for the fourth suspect, Lee Royal Brown, 24, of an unconfirmed address.

The suspects have been charged with multiple counts of theft, theft scheme over $1,000, conspiracy to commit theft over $1,000 and multiple counts of trespassing.

Charmaine Rogers, Lee Royal Brown, an arrested suspect in the Nordstrom theft and fraud case, via Montgomery County Police Antwine Finch, Charmaine Rogers, Lee Royal Brown, an arrested suspect in the Nordstrom theft and fraud case, via Montgomery County Police

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