North Carolina man nabbed in Athens with stolen personal information

A man from North Carolina was nabbed recently in Athens after authorities reported he fraudulently used stolen personal information to purchase power tools from five Lowe’s stores in Georgia.

Investigators had developed information that the suspect was using stolen information to make the transactions, according to an Athens-Clarke police report that was released Tuesday.

Shortly before 1 p.m. Feb. 16, police were notified that the suspect was at the Lowe’s store on Lexington Road in Athens.

Police Detective Nathaniel Franco said he received a call about the suspect so he notified patrol officers to be on the lookout for a black Ford Explorer with a North Carolina license plate.

The vehicle was located in the Lowe’s parking lot and when the suspect returned to his vehicle, he was taken into custody, according to police.

“We know he had stuff in the vehicle he had just stolen in Oconee County,” Franco said Tuesday.

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Tools were also found that had been stolen in Loganville, Cornelia and Lithonia, he said.

The 28-year-old resident of Winston-Salem, N.C.,  had a Savannah businessman’s Lowe’s account number and he also had a fake identification that had the victim’s name and information, but it had the suspect’s picture, according to police.

If the suspect was questioned about a purchase, he would present the fake ID, Franco said. Police reported the recovery of about $2,700 worth of merchandise.

Franco interviewed the suspect, who provided information on his scheme.

“He told me he bought the (account) number on Craig’s List and they made the fake ID for him. He paid them with bitcoin,” he said. “A lot of stolen identity stuff is sold online, so I don’t doubt that is where he got the information.”

The suspect planned to sell the stolen merchandise, Franco said. The suspect, whose driver's license was suspended, is also wanted in West Virginia on warrants alleging a similar crime, the detective said.

Police also recovered a pistol in the vehicle.

Franco said cooperation between agencies and the store resulted in the arrest.

“A lot of time criminals get away with stuff because we’re always reacting, but we’re getting better about sharing information and catching stuff in progress,” he said.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: N.C. man charged in scheme to steal from Lowe's in Athens, Oconee