Police: Woman Scammed Victoria Secret Out Of Thousands Of Dollars
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - After nearly a year of eluding police, a woman wanted for defrauding Victoria Secret of thousands of dollars is now in custody.
Nathilia Hooks, 39, turned herself in to police Friday morning. She's been charged with retail theft, organized fraud and money laundering/unlawful proceeds.
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Investigators said Hooks would steal from the lingerie stores, return the items and pocket the refund. She reportedly came to the attention of the loss prevention fraud investigators at Victoria Secret last January after multiple returns to her debit card were found.
Total loss - about $53,000.00.
Aventura Police say they first started looking for her after she was captured on surveillance tape shoplifting at a Sunglass Hut store at the Aventura Mall. They circulated flyers with her images and they heard from a number of police agencies.
Aventura Police Det. Olga Burns told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "It feels great to have her in custody. We have been working on cases involving her since last November."
Authorities say Hooks victimized Victoria Secret stores in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach counties, and in some cases, as far north as Orlando.
Police said she had been pulling the scam since last year. Police agencies in Bal Harbour and Palm Beach will have shoplifting charges against her.
Surveillance tape from one Victoria Secret store reportedly showed Hooks using a screwdriver to remove anti-theft sensors from clothing that police said she would steal and then turn in for a credit on her debit card.
Hooks turned herself in after learning there was a warrant out for her arrest. During her bond court hearing, Hooks did not speak but the prosecutor told the judge she pulled her fraudulent return scam at least 255 times over 18 months at 37 stores.
"We have a strong case against her and we have surveillance tape of her from some 30 stores," said Shireen Brueggeman, an Assistant Statewide Prosecutor.
Brueggeman also told the Judge in bond court that Hooks had a history of arrests for petit and grand theft and larceny from 1993 and 1994. She said Hooks was also arrested in 1996 for carrying a concealed weapon.
In court, Hooks was represented by Assistant Public Defender. He said Hooks had lived in Miami for some time and had ties to the community.
But the judge refused to lower Hooks's bond of $260,000.
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