Man had friends distract clerks as he stole lottery tickets, CO prosecutors say
National Man had friends distract clerks as he stole lottery tickets, CO prosecutors say
A man faces felony theft charges after prosecutors said he stole over $150,000 in lottery tickets using distraction tactics.
Photo by John Ward via Unsplash
Four men are charged with stealing over $150,000 in lottery scratch tickets in a series of thefts from at least 45 retailers along the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, according to prosecutors.
The operation was apparently orchestrated by one of the men who officials said had three accomplices distract the lone clerk at a gas station or convenience store while he snuck behind the counter to swipe high-value lottery scratch tickets from the dispenser between August 2023 and November 2024, Colorado's office of the attorney general said in an April 28 news release.
Thefts were reported in Denver, Boulder, Arapahoe, Jefferson, Adams and El Paso counties, according to the indictments.
The man specifically targeted gas stations staffed by a single clerk, who his accomplice would lure away from the counter by asking about buying propane tanks, saying a credit card was stuck in a gas pump or spilling gasoline, prosecutors said. That's when the man stole the instant-win scratch tickets, which he redeemed within hours at a different gas station or store, officials said.
Between the stolen tickets and the prize money he redeemed, the total value of the thefts was more than $150,000, prosecutors said.
'The individuals accused of these lottery ticket retail thefts harmed businesses along the Front Range,' said Attorney General Phil Weiser in the release. 'Colorado Lottery sales proceeds go toward preserving and protecting state parks, trails, and open spaces, so Coloradans who enjoy the great outdoors are also victims of Lottery theft.'
The man faces four counts of felony theft, while his accomplices each face one count of felony theft, officials said.
Brooke Baitinger
McClatchy DC Go to X Email this person
Brooke (she/them) is a McClatchy Real-Time reporter who covers LGBTQ+ entertainment news and national parks out west. They studied journalism at the University of Florida, and previously covered LGBTQ+ news for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. When they're not writing stories, they enjoy hanging out with their cats, riding horses or spending time outdoors.
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