Thieves Use Stolen Credit Cards to Buy Chinese Food and Tobacco After Car Burglaries

by Kevin Deutsch January 30, 2025

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Detectives are searching for two males who broke into three cars and made multiple fraudulent credit card purchases in North Lauderdale.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office on Thursday released surveillance video of the unidentified pair wanted in connection with the crimes. According to investigators, the burglaries and incidents of credit card fraud happened between November 2024 and January 2025.

During that span, the thieves burglarized a car near the 1200 block of Hampton Boulevard and two other cars between the 1300 and 1400 blocks of Avon Lane in North Lauderdale, according to BSO. Personal items, along with credit cards, were stolen from the vehicles.

Detectives learned the stolen credit cards were used to purchase Chinese food and tobacco products at various businesses in the city.

Surveillance video obtained from one of the businesses shows two males believed to be in their late teens at the counter ordering food. One is seen wearing a dark-colored hoodie with a graphic t-shirt underneath, while the other wore a dark-colored graphic t-shirt and blue jeans.

The video shows the male in the hoodie handing the cashier one of the stolen credit cards after placing a cellphone and what appears to be a tobacco product on the counter. When the transaction didn’t go through, the male handed the cashier another stolen credit card, which did go through, detectives said.

The thieves have gotten away with nearly $3,400 worth of valuables and cash, in addition to fraudulently spending close to $152 in credit card transactions, according to BSO.

Anyone with information about the thieves’ identities or whereabouts is asked to contact BSO North Lauderdale District Det. Ricardo Fratichelli at 954-722-5800 or to submit a tip through the SaferWatch app.

Those who wish to remain anonymous can contact Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS (8477), submit a tip online at browardcrimestoppers.org, or dial **TIPS (8477) from any cellphone in the United States.

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Author Profile

Kevin Deutsch

Kevin Deutsch is an award-winning journalist and author of two nonfiction books. He covers general assignment news and Jewish community issues for Talk Media. He has also worked as a staff writer at The Miami Times, the Rio Grande SUN, the New York Daily News, Newsday, The Miami Herald, The Palm Beach Post, The Riverdale Press, and Bronx Justice News.