Florida man charged in home improvement store barcode scam

FLORIDA — The Florida Attorney General’s Office has charged a Florida man for a fraudulent barcode scam that reportedly involved multiple home improvement stores.

Edrey Santo Rojas, 38, has been charged with multiple felony counts of retail theft for allegedly stealing more than $28,000 worth of electrical wire in the scheme, said Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody.

According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office investigation, Mr. Rojas stole rolls of wire through fraudulent sales and returns from multiple Lowe’s and Home Depot stores in 15 counties throughout Florida and the Southeast United States.

In a seven-month period, Rojas is alleged to have fraudulently used authentic barcodes from lesser-priced electrical wire to purchase expensive rolls of wire. Rojas is said to have then conducted fraudulent returns by taking products in the store that matched the receipt from the prior purchase to customer service for a full refund.

“This thief stole more than $28,000 worth of wire rolls from home-improvement stores throughout 15 counties in a fraudulent barcode scheme. He committed more than 70 different thefts crossing multiple judicial circuit,” Ms. Moody said.

“Thanks to law enforcement and our statewide prosecutors, his spree is wired shut, and now he faces multiple felony charges.”

According to the investigation, Mr. Rojas took authentic barcodes off smaller rolls of wire in the same color and placed those barcodes on larger rolls of wire that cost between $300 to $500 each. Mr. Rojas then purchased the wire at the store using a debit card but at a steeply discounted price.

Allegedly, Mr. Rojas then traveled to a different store, entered empty-handed, and selected a wire matching the receipt to conduct a fraudulent in-store return.

In the seven-month period, Mr. Rojas is accused of committing 78 confirmed and documented thefts and fraudulent returns from multiple Lowe’s and Home Depots in nine individual judicial circuits throughout Florida.

According to the investigation, the surveillance and itemized receipts show a total proven loss of $28,405.

Mr. Rojas has been charged with two counts of individually committing or coordinating with others the commission of retail theft of $3,000 or more, a second-degree felony; one count of individually committing or coordinating with others the commission of retail theft of 20 or more items, a second-degree felony; and individually committing or coordinating with others the commission of retail theft $750 or more, a third-degree felony.

Mr. Rojas is currently in custody for previous charges of burglary to an unoccupied structure, possession of burglary tools with intent to use, trespassing posted construction sites, resisting without violence, and other counts. In addition, Mr. Rojas has a no-bond detainer for three separate cases, each involving fraudulent use of a credit card and grand theft charges.

Attorney General Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution will handle the case.