Pennsylvania woman charged with posing as vendor to steal Apple products from Target stores in multiple states
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A woman posed as a vendor to steal Apple products from Target stores across Pennsylvania as well as Virginia and Maryland, according to court paperwork.
Investigators with the Pennsylvania attorney general's office said Angelita Rodriguez of Reading got access to the Apple displays at multiple Target stores by signing in as a vendor and pretending her key didn't work, allowing her to steal about $22,000 worth of iPhones, iPads and other products across the state.
According to the criminal complaint, the investigation into Rodriguez started in December at the Target in Pittsburgh's East Liberty neighborhood. When Pittsburgh police tried to interview her about a theft at that store and other incidents, investigators said Rodriguez got up and tried to leave.
The attorney general's office said investigators connected Rodriguez to the theft of Apple products across the state on multiple occasions from March to December, including at Target stores in North Huntingdon, Wayne, Plymouth Meeting, Greensburg and Pittsburgh.
In the criminal complaint, police detailed how Rodriguez would pretend to work on the Apple display, take items, hide them, then leave the store. She would then sell the stolen items for cash, investigators said.
She's also suspected of doing the same thing in Virginia and Maryland, and the monetary loss for all the states is still being determined, the attorney general's office said.
Rodriguez is facing a slew of charges, including retail theft, theft by deception, falsely impersonating persons privately employed and receiving stolen property.
