North Branford Police Break Up Major Credit Card Fraud Ring

North Branford police report that yesterday at approximately 3:30 p.m., a loss prevention officer from the Big Y supermarket alerted the North Branford Police Dispatch center that two suspicious men had just exited the store.

The men fit the description of a corporate bulletin that they had received regarding a credit card fraud team that has been targeting the Big Y supermarket chain in Massachusetts and Connecticut and is thought to be responsible for more than $8,000 worth of fraudulent transactions in more than 20 stores since January.

A description of the men and the vehicle they were operating was given out and a North Branford police officer on routine patrol observed the vehicle and stopped it. Upon stopping the vehicle, police Officer Robert Deko detected a strong smell of marijuana coming from within the vehicle.

An investigation revealed one of the men was in possession of marijuana and that the vehicle contained several stolen credit cards.

Police believe that these individuals were part of a complex scheme in which stolen credit card numbers were purchased from out of the country. These stolen numbers were then encoded on actual credit cards by means of a reprogramming device and then used to purchase actual gift cards.

Arrested were Steve Bourne, 28, of South Ozone Park, N.Y., and Charles Whitfield, 25, of Laurelton Queens, N.Y.

Bourne was charged with 31 counts credit card theft, 31 counts of conspiracy to commit illegal credit card use, sixth-degree larceny, illegal use of credit card, and conspiracy to commit sixth-degree larceny.

Whitfield was charged with 31 counts credit card theft, 31 counts of conspiracy to commit illegal credit card use, sixth-degree larceny, illegal use of credit card, and conspiracy to commit sixth-degree larceny, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and operating a motor vehicle without a license.

Both men were held on a $25,000.00 bond and brought to New Haven Superior Court today for arraignment.