SYRACUSE, NY (WSYR-TV) - The Syracuse Mayor's Office confirms that a city firefighter is one of four people arrested, accused of stealing almost $40,000 in merchandise from Home Depot in East Syracuse.
A spokesperson for the Mayor says the fire department is aware of the arrest of 30-year old Lotan Mitchell and they are investigating. He would not comment beyond that.
Mitchell along with Sundai Taylor, Shaunell Hammonds and Everton Mitchell are charged with grand larceny and fraud.
The group is accused of stealing items from the Bridge Street Home Depot and then returning them for gift cards at various store locations for the last year.
4 arrested, accused of stealing nearly $40k in merchandise
East Syracuse (WSYR-TV) -- Four people have been accused of pulling off an elaborate fraud scheme, stealing almost $40,000 worth of merchandise from Home Depot.
30-year-old Lotan G. Mitchell, 29-year-old Sundai T. Tyler, Shaunell Hammonds and Everton Mitchell – all from Syracuse – are facing grand larceny and fraud charges.
Police say the suspects would steal items from the store on Bridge Street and then return them to get gift cards at Home Depots throughout the area.
It’s estimated that they stole $38,000 worth of merchandise over the course of a year.
The arrests are the result of a two month long investigation that began in early August after store personnel identified what they believed to be fraudulent returns.
