Top Stories

Pair stole nearly $100K from several home improvement stores, police say

Two men are accused of stealing nearly $100,000 from home improvement stores across southwestern Pennsylvania.

State police said Michael Watkins and Laquan Moore, of Cleveland, Oh., worked together to get away with the crimes at nearly a dozen Lowe’s stores.

You can now customize your WPXI News App to receive alerts to Allegheny County news. CLICK HERE to find out how.

According to investigators with the PSP organized crime task force, the suspects began their two-month fraudulent spending spree at the Lowe’s in Gibsonia. From there, police said they stole tens of thousands from Lowe’s stores in at least eight counties, including Allegheny.

From Altoona to New Castle, investigators said the duo used a fictitious commercial account to order various appliances, fixtures and water heaters over the phone and then brazenly picked up the merchandise in person.

From August 2018 to October 2018, state police said the suspects made 51 fraudulent transactions using 13 different commercial accounts -- totaling more than $97,000.

Both men were tied to the extensive and far-reaching thefts when they showed up at the stores and were caught on surveillance.