Damn. My fancy new teevee only gets the 24 hour casserole channel.
Posted on 04/02/2006 7:37:38 AM PDT by DJ Taylor
SOUTH BEND -- It isn't a crime police have seen many times before.
An unsuspecting woman purchased a "flat-screen television set" at a bargain price, the package even bubble-wrapped and complete with cord and controller.
But when the street consumer returned home that February day with her "steal" of a product, she was likely steamed.
"It was actually an oven door inside the package," explained South Bend Detective Sgt. Jim Walsh.
Police on Thursday arrested a suspect they believe sold the appliance piece to the woman. Walsh says recent thefts of oven doors from vacant properties may be linked to the scam.The 42-year-old theft victim was reportedly approached by the 43-year-old suspect Feb. 20 at her job in the 1600 block of South Michigan Street. The asking price for the bogus TV screen was $500, but when the victim couldn't come up with the money, the suspect settled for $300.
The oven door was wrapped in plastic to look like a flat screen, had Wal-Mart store labels, and included a generic remote control.
"It's an elaborate job of packaging," Walsh said.
The suspect's goose was cooked on Thursday after the victim's husband spotted a vehicle and recognized it as the phony salesman's. When police officers arrested the man, they also found an oven door and packaging materials inside his trunk, according to reports.Despite the bizarre fraud, police say oven doors are an increasingly hot item in area burglaries.
Just this week two reports of stolen oven doors made their way to South Bend Police.
The first happened Saturday at a home in the 400 block of North Arthur Street when a back door was kicked in and two suspects were seen exiting the residence carrying an oven door, according to reports.
The second occurred Monday at a home in the 900 block of South Twyckenham Drive, where a back door was forced open and the oven door removed from its frame.
Walsh said police have had a total of about five recent burglaries where oven doors were among the items stolen.
"It was mostly at (vacant) rental homes," Walsh explained. "Some might not be discovered for a couple weeks."
Police have had only a couple reports of the doors being sold as flat-screen televisions, but it's likely others went unreported, the detective said.
Police continue to investigate at least two other suspects who may be disguising oven doors and selling them.
Walsh warns residents not to buy products off the street or if they do, open packages first to make sure the items are what they appear to be.
Oven Door Scam Pinggggggggggg
I'm sure that she thought this to be a legitimate transaction. Doesn't everyone who is approached by someone with a "good deal?"
Beats having to put quarters into those TV sets down at the laundromat.
it's probably not...my sister bought an expensive brick in a digital camcorder box from some guy off the street in NYC. I think she paid $100. She is at least that much wiser now though ;-)
This is not as dumb as that bridge in Brooklyn that I bought from a nice Nigerian man.
He said he's sending me a refund wired directly into my bank account as soon as I send him the account information.
So I bought this flat screen from a guy on the street for $300 but all it gets is the cooking channel.
This woman clearly got ripped off. I only paid $297 for my oven door and it has HDTV built in.
Hahahahaha!
But, was it a nice oven door?
As long as it was HiDef...
I wonder if it came with surround sound?
I'd like to be added to that ping list as long as it is not a high volume one.
/humor :oP
If not a joke, how did they find an officer who could write up the complaint without losing it?
Is that your kitchen? I want to see that counter window. What a gorgeous view.
But talk about a sharp picture! Man. It's almost three dimensional!
If ignorance is bliss, how come there aren't more happy people?
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