Police Say Employee Used Customer's Gift Card

A 20-year-old Kennesaw man shouldn't have used his employee discount when he allegedly used a customer's store gift card for himself.

Alpharetta police were called to the store on North Point Drive on May 11 on a report of theft by an employee. The area asset proection manager for the company met with the officer and the suspect at the store.

According to the manager, the store employee had taken a gift card left by mistake by a customer on May 4. Six minutes later he checked the balance on the gift card, which was $1,842 at the time. The employee was accused of taken the gift card without notifying management, and later using it to buy items at another Best Buy store, using his employee number to get a discount.

The employee completed a written statement admitting the theft, according to an incident report filed by the investigating officer.

John K. Janis, 20, of Kennesaw, was charged with theft by taking over $500, a felony.

Cleaning Lady Charged with Identity Fraud

A Dancliff Trace resident's house cleaner was arrested on May 10 and charged with identity fraud after allegedly using her employer's checking account information to pay a large cable bill.

On Feb. 23 an Alpharetta police officer took a statement from the homeowner, who said she tried to make a small purchase the day before that was declined. She checked her balance on a nearby ATM and found the account was nearly $500 overdrawn. She said she typically keeps $600 in the acocunt, and had just deposited approximately $7,000 into it.

When she contacted her bank, she learned of a $734 payment to Comcast using her checking account number and bank routing number. And someone else's name was used with the payment. The victim said she has a Comcast account, but pays the $130 bill monthly.

The only time she normally uses a check is to pay her house cleaner, whom she employed for the past seven years. The woman, whom she only knew as Maria and had no information about her other than a phone number, had called her and sent her mother and another woman to clean the home.

Maria Evelina Hammons, 39, of Acworth, was charged with felony identity fraud. She was released on May 11 on $10,000 bond.

Mall Shoplifter Didn't Go Far

A Marietta man was arrested and charged with shoplifting over $300, a felony, after $503 in designer clothes–brands such as Hugo Boss, Perry Ellis and Murano– were taken from at North Point Mall.

Alpharetta police responded to a theft in progress call on May 7. When they arrived at the mall, security officers told them the suspect was entering on the upper level. The suspect was identified as a man standing at the checkout counter, and was arrested.

The Dillards' loss prevention officer identified items from the suspect's car as being from his store, and after scanning them confirmed they had not been sold.

Chauncey Craig Jones, 25, of Marietta was charged with felony shoplifting.

For questions about this blotter, email Bob Pepalis.