A retired Baton Rouge Police officer's tip has led to the arrest of a Florida couple in an alleged fraud scheme.
The unnamed retiree spotted Jayson Carter and Mardashia Harris at the Lowe's on Cortana Place swiping several credit cards to buy a large amount of gift cards. BPRD says the former officer recognized this "as a common practice of theft operations".
Approximately 53 gift cards, totaling $9,320, were recovered which were purchased with altered credit cards. Seven cell phones, totaling $5,512.51, were also recovered. Police say 43 credit cards that had been re-encoded were also seized.
Carter faces charges of computer fraud, access device fraud, monetary instrument abuse, identity theft, felony theft and resisting an officer. He allegedly tried to run from officers, who had to use a taser to bring him down.
Harris was booked on charges of principal to computer fraud, principal to access device fraud, principal to monetary instrument abuse, principal to identity theft, and felony theft.
Investigators believe the two made purchases from stores in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, and that there could be additional suspects.
Anyone with information is asked to call the BRPD Financial Crimes Division at 225-389-3871 or Crime Stoppers ant 225-344-7867.
Photo: BRPD