Third Pasco family member involved in Lowe’s scam across several counties arrested, deputies say
The third suspect accused of making fraudulent transactions at Lowe’s Home Improvement stores across 11 Florida counties was arrested, Polk County detectives announced Monday.
Officials said 51-year-old Susan Highlander Bailey was arrested Saturday. Last week, they said her husband, 28-year-old Christopher Bailey, and his father, 50-year-old Robert Bailey was booked for being involved in the same scam. All are from Pasco County.
Investigators said the Bailey family made 65 fraudulent transactions, costing the company $28,801.79 in losses.
Last year, the agency was contacted by a Lowe’s manager about how the trio removed items from store shelves and successfully made "returns" at the customer service counter for store credit. Then, they would purchase merchandise with the store credit, detectives said.
Officials said they also learned the suspects made eight pawn transactions within hours of the fraudulent returns and purchases. The thefts occurred between July 10, 2020 and September 30, 2020.
Seven of the fraudulent thefts occurred at Lowe’s stores within Polk County.