A Columbus man and woman are facing felony charges in Union County in connection with a series of retail thefts.
The Union County Grand Jury has indicted Erika Ann Fowler, 34, and Terry Rose, 38, each charged with two counts of theft and one count each of receiving stolen property and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.
According to court documents, between October and December, Fowler, Rose and an unidentified man stole from stores in Union, Champaign, Logan, Franklin and Clark counties. Union County Prosecutor Dave Phillips said the individuals would go into the stores, select items, then simply walk out the store.
“A lot of these are walkouts,” Phillips said. “They would go out the fire exit or they would just walk past the last cash register, past security.”
Phillips said computers, vacuum cleaners and security systems were especially popular with the group.
He said Fowler and Rose were “fairly brazen” in the theft, adding it isn’t unusual for organized retail thieves.
The group would then allegedly take the stolen items to pawn shops in Columbus to sell them.
Phillips said the cases were referred to local law enforcement by the Columbus Division of Police.
“A number of others were also investigating these two, obviously, based on the number of counties,” Phillips said.
Law enforcement officials were able to connect items at the pawnshops to stolen items.
“From there, they were able to investigate and determine the pattern,” Phillips said.
The prosecutor said he believes the pawnshops have some responsibility in this.
“I think they do,” Phillips said. “We are looking at that.”
Phillips said pawnshops are required by law to track purchases. He said in a two-month period, Rose sold 25 items at pawn shops and Fowler sold 15.
He explained that the sales did not make sense as legitimate transactions.
“You don’t take something you paid a lot of money for and sell it for a lot less, especially multiple of the same thing, in the box still,” Phillips said.
Even so, Phillips said it can be “difficult to determine” if the pawnshop actually knew or should have known the items were stolen.
“In terms of receiving stolen property, pawn shops do not have an out, but you have to be able to prove who took the pawn and their actual knowledge,” Phillips said.
Last year, the prosecutor’s office helped bring several agencies in multiple counties together to share information about similar retail thefts. Officials have said thieves will sometimes steal in one community then go to another believing information will not get shared between the two, making it difficult to establish a pattern or determine the organization.
If convicted, Rose and Fowler could each face more than 11 years in prison.
Also indicted were:
– David Marsh, 24, of 573 Apple Drive, Marysville. Marsh is charged with one count each of breaking and entering and criminal damaging or endangering.
According to court documents, on Sept. 15, Marsh allegedly broke a window and broke into a real estate office in Marysville. Marsh allegedly ransacked the office, then “deposited feces on the floor of the office.”
If convicted on both charges, Marsh could face as many as 15 months in prison.
– David Roger Caroppoli, 56, of Springfield. Caroppoli is charged with one count of passing bad checks. According to court documents, on April 25, Caroppoli issued two checks for a total of $1,501.69, one to an industrial supply company and one to a power equipment rental company. Court documents allege Caroppoli knew the checks would not clear when he wrote them.
If convicted, Caroppoli could face as many as 12 months in prison.
– Noah Albon Burnett, 20, of 123 W. State St., Milford Center. Burnett is charged with four counts of theft, four counts of forgery and one count each of burglary, identity fraud and theft from a person in a protected class.
According to court documents, between August and September, Burnett allegedly stole four checks from a local man, then wrote them to himself. The checks totaled $10,300.
If convicted on all counts, Burnett could face as many as 16 years in prison.
– Jessica A. Barton, 30, of 12095 Watkins Road, Marysville. Barton is charged with one count of theft. According to court documents, between Jan. 8 and Feb. 27, Barton allegedly stole a series of gift cards from a local research facility. The cards were valued at $1,636.81.
If convicted, Barton could face as many as 12 months in prison.
– Lawrence Randall Zumbrum, 35, of 925 W. Fifth St., Marysville. Zumbrum is charged with one count of misuse of credit cards. According to court documents, on Sept. 12, Zumbrum allegedly used an elderly person’s credit card without permission.
If convicted, Zumbrum could face as many as 12 months in prison.