Police: 18-year-old Nordstrom employee moved stolen $165K into multiple accounts
Nov 22, 2022, 2:04 PM
Nordstrom is being accused by Patagonia of selling fake t-shirts and sweatshirts. (Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
Investigators are still trying to find the $165,000 allegedly stolen from Nordstrom stores by an 18-year-old Issaquah woman.
According to Lynnwood Police (LPD), the thefts happened over the course of just one month at Nordstrom stores in Lynnwood, Seattle, Tukwila, and even Scottsdale, Ariz.
Detective Troy Hammersmith with LPD investigated the case and said the teenage suspect used to work for the company.
He said that’s where she had accomplices meet her for phony returns, sometimes even using stolen goods.
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“People working with her would come in, bring an item that was to be returned, she would return it and then override the price amount,” said LPD Detective Troy Hammersmith.
Hammersmith reported she did this by logging onto Nordstrom cash registers using other employees’ IDs. She was working with at least two other people.
That money was sent to multiple bank accounts, including the suspect’s own, but its exact location has yet to be confirmed. Hammersmith said the money has not yet been recovered.
“They would put it back on that person’s debit card or her debit card account, and then they would subsequently move that money into a different bank account after they got it,” Hammersmith said.
Police arrested the woman after a former coworker tipped off investigators. She was taken to Snohomish County Jail but was later released. She currently faces felony theft charges. Hammersmith says at least one of her accomplices may also be facing charges.
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Hammersmith said he’s never seen something so widespread.
“I mean, I’ve seen cases where people are doing fraudulent returns or letting their friends have employee discounts, but this is the first time I’ve seen something on this big of a scale,” said Lynnwood Police Detective Troy Hammersmith.
As the crime spree spans multiple jurisdictions, that opens the door for a larger agency to pursue these alleged criminals. As of this reporting, the FBI has inquired about the investigation but has not made a decision to become involved.
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