PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A criminal organization targeting people’s wallets left at the gym and spanning multiple states has hit Beaverton, authorities say.
The Beaverton Police Department said they investigated a case on April 30 involving three men suspected to be connected to an organized theft crew operating in at least five western states that target gyms, fitness centers and workout facilities.
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“In that incident, a victim’s credit card information was stolen after the victim visited a gym in Beaverton,” police said in a press release. “Investigators learned one of the suspects fraudulently obtained a Costco membership using the victim’s identity before the group used the stolen credit card to purchase $18,759.96 worth of gold bars from a Costco store in Beaverton.”
Pictures of the three men believed to be responsible for the theft and fraudulent purchases — and possibly connected to the criminal organization targeting gyms — were released by Beaverton police via surveillance footage.
Police say the criminal enterprise they are allegedly associated with often steals the wallets, including identity and credit cards, of unsuspecting gym patrons. The criminals then go to big box retail stores, like Costco and Best Buy, and quickly make large purchases of high-value items, like electronics or jewelry, before the victim realizes their card is missing…