Two individuals were taken into custody at a Costco on Sunday, accused of using fake credit cards in an attempt to steal merchandise, according to local authorities.
The incident unfolded at approximately 3 p.m. in South Windsor, Connecticut, as reported by the South Windsor Police Department on Monday.
Police have identified the suspects as seasoned Costco shoplifters: 35-year-old Brittany A. Howard from the Bronx, New York, and 34-year-old Kasheem M. Williams from Brooklyn.
“Officers were dispatched to the Costco located at 1220 Tamarack Ave after receiving reports of two individuals suspected of actively stealing from the store. The suspects allegedly tried to check out using fraudulent credit cards,” stated the South Windsor Police Department.
Authorities note that store employees had been alerted that these same suspects had previously employed a similar tactic at a Costco in Enfield, which is about a 30-minute drive to the north.
Responding officers later discovered 28 stolen financial documents, all under different names, inside the suspects’ vehicle, along with goods believed to have been stolen from the other Costco location, police said.
After the suspects were taken into custody, authorities said both individuals were found to have active out-of-state warrants.
Williams had an extraditable warrant out of Suffolk County, New York, on multiple charges including burglary, strangulation and assault.
Howard was found to have an extraditable warrant out of Hudson County, New Jersey, on credit card theft charges.
Both suspects now face additional charges, including 28 counts of payment card theft, larceny, identity theft and conspiracy.
Police said the pair were held on $250,000 surety bonds and were scheduled to appear in Manchester Superior Court Monday morning.