Suspected fraud leads to arrest

By Eric Johnson (Contact) | Austin Daily Herald

Published Wednesday, March 18, 2009

A Rochester woman was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of fraud after she tried returning nearly $2,000 of goods to the Austin Wal-Mart that were from another store.

According to Austin police reports, Wal-Mart officials became suspicious when the woman, 21, tried to return $1,930 worth of goods to Wal-Mart at approximately 6 p.m. Police were notified the suspect was reportedly trying to pass a bad check, but upon arrival found that not to be true.

The suspect, who was detained by Asset Protection at the store, initially told police she didn’t know what was going on. Through questioning, police discovered the items were purchased the day before in Sauk Centre, Minn. and contacted a detective in Baxter, Minn. who requested the woman be detained. The woman was being investigated for purchasing the goods through the use of a forged or stolen check and was being further investigated for alleged incidents in Wal-Mart stores in Detroit Lakes, Alexandria, Pine City and several southern Minnesota cities.

The woman is held at the Mower County Jail pending charges.

---

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE THIS STORY?

---