MICHAEL GILBERT
FELIX SANTOS
WESTFIELD – Two men from New Jersey and New York were arrested Monday for attempting to make purchases with stolen credit cards at a city drugstore.
Michael Gilbert, 22, of Dunellen, New Jersey and Felix Santos, 22, of Brooklyn, New York were arraigned in Westfield District Court yesterday on a litany of charges related to their attempt to use stolen credit cards at the Rite Aid on East Silver Street at approximately 12:17 p.m.
Gilbert was charged with receiving stolen property valued over $250, attempting to commit larceny over $250, possession of over four false embossed credit cards, and improper use of a credit card over $250.
Santos was charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property valued over $250, possession of over four false embossed credit cards, and attempting to commit larceny over $250.
Two out-of-state men were arraigned in Westfield District Court Tuesday on a litany of charges related to their attempts to use stolen credit cards at the Rite Aid on East Silver Street in Westfield. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
According to Westfield police, the store’s manager reported a black male entering the store and attempting to purchase several pre-paid Visa gift cards with stolen credit cards.
The manager said that it had been an ongoing scam in the area. She said the man was proceeding to the parking lot of a nearby Big Y supermarket in a black Honda with New Jersey plates.
The manager then called Big Y’s manager to give them a heads up.
Officers arrived between the two establishments and stopped the Honda carrying the two men. They asked to see the drivers license of Santos, the driver of the vehicle, who produced a New York permit.
The officers then asked Gilbert for his identification, and Gilbert produced an expired New Jersey license. It was confirmed in the court’s statement of facts that the 2013 Honda Civic Santos was illegally driving was rented by Gilbert.
Gilbert was found to have had 10 credit cards in his name and on his person, while Santos was in possession of two cards of his own. Authorities then located 48 more cards in both suspects names. After a check on several of the cards, officers deemed them to be counterfeits.
Westfield police also uncovered 51 $25 pre-paid Visa and American Express cards, obtained by using the counterfeit credit cards.
Following their arraignments yesterday, Judge Philip Contant ordered the pair be held in lieu of $500 cash bail each until their next scheduled court appearance on September 3.
