Contact: Lieutenant Colonel Steven G. O'Donnell, Deputy Superintendent/Chief of Field Operations Telephone: (401) 444-1002

On Wednesday November 5, 2008, members of the Rhode Island State Police arrested MOHAMAD ALOMARI, age 21, of 515 East 80th Street, Brooklyn, New York, KEVIN BAYNES, age 21 of 1229 East 48th Street, Brooklyn, New York, and SARAH C. THEAGENE, age 19 of 1012 East 86th Street, Apt. 1, Brooklyn, New York. Each was charged with fraudulent use of a credit card, conspiracy, and obtaining money under false pretenses over $500. On Tuesday, November 4, 2008, the Cumberland Police Department arrested Kevin Baynes and charged him with the fraudulent use of a credit card at the Stop & Shop on Mendon Road in Cumberland, RI. Kevin Baynes was arraigned and later released. The other two (2) subjects fled the scene and were not arrested at the time of the incident.

On Wednesday November 5, 2008 the three (3) suspects were stopped for a speeding violation on Route 95 South by Trooper Matthew McGuire of the State Police Hope Valley Barracks. During this traffic stop it was determined that this vehicle was unregistered. The State Police was then informed that the occupants of this vehicle had been involved in the fraudulent use of a credit card at the Stop & Shop the previous day. Based on this information, a search of the vehicle revealed several debit and gift cards. It was later determined that the encoding on the magnetic strips of these cards had been altered to include stolen credit card account information. The alteration allowed the user of the fraudulent card to make purchases under the victim account holder’s name.

In a coordinated effort with the Stop & Shop Loss Prevention, all three subjects were tied to similar activities in Lincoln, Rhode Island and several nearby communities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. All three (3) subjects were arraigned at 6th District Court before Judge Higgins on November 6, 2008. Mohamad Alomari was ordered held as a probation violator and assigned a hearing date of November 20, 2008. Kevin Baynes was ordered held as a bail violator and assigned a hearing date of November 20, 2008. Bail was set at $10,000, with surety, for Sarah Theagene.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Rhode Island State Police Detective Bureau at (401) 444-1158.

 

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