6 arrested in Pittsburgh for identity theft ring involvement

PITTSBURGH — A total of six people have been arrested in Pittsburgh so far for their involvement in an identity theft ring that accumulated over $50,000 in gift cards and merchandise.

According to the criminal complaint, the group is involved in a fraudulent scheme in which they obtain credit or debit card numbers from unsuspecting people who do not know their accounts have been compromised until they review their monthly financial statements.

Police said the group purchased gift cards and other merchandise several Giant Eagles and Sam’s Clubs in and around the Pittsburgh area for the past three weeks and gotten away with $95,000 in purchases.

Christopher Candelaria, of Brooklyn, New York; Dashamae Wayne, of Brooklyn, New York; Isaac Johnson, of Jersey City, New Jersey; Renaldo Coleman, of Brooklyn, New York; William Candelaria, of Brooklyn, New York; and Corey Howard, of Brooklyn, New York have are facing several charges, according to the criminal complaint.%

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Each person is facing five counts of identity theft, access device fraud, possessing instruments crime, theft, receiving stolen property, criminal conspiracy and corrupt organization.

Three were arrested coming out of the Market District Giant Eagle at Settlers Ridge in Robinson Township Thursday morning. Three were arrested at a Moon Township hotel.

Police are still working to tally the total losses, but said they’ve seized 31 fraudulent cards with real credit card numbers from them.

Officials told Channel 11 the suspects are part of a large, well organized out-of-state crime group.

"I don't know how people can figure out how to do that stuff," said Cheryl Hite, a Giant Eagle customer.

A Giant Eagle spokesperson released this statement to Channel 11, "The matter is now in the hands of law enforcement and in the courts, so we are not going to comment any further…No customers have been affected in the past."

Cox Media Group