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Title: Police: Couple exploited Lowe's website glitch for free merchandise
Source:
Click2Houston/AP
URL Source: https://www.click2houston.com/consu ... te-glitch-for-free-merchandise
Published: Aug 16, 2017
Author: AP
Post Date: 2017-08-16 11:04:36 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 4262
Comments: 21
BRICK, N.J. - Authorities say a New Jersey couple exploited a computer glitch on a home improvement chain's website to get thousands of dollars' worth of items shipped to their home for free. Ocean County prosecutors say 40-year-old Kimy Velazquez and his 24-year-old wife, Romela Velazquez, stole enough items from Lowe's to fill an 18-foot trailer. The items ranged from a gazebo to $2,500 worth of underwear. Authorities declined to provide details on the computer glitch. Authorities say the Brick residents tried to get about $258,068 worth of unpaid merchandise overall but received only about $13,000 in merchandise. They say the couple sold the items on Facebook for less than half the original price. It wasn't known Tuesday if they've retained attorneys. A phone number couldn't be found for them. Poster Comment: Comment from the site: Hey, what's the issue here. It is up to companies to fix these glitches. I could see Lowe's canceling an order made due to a glitch. But it is not stealing IMHO if they honor the order and ship the merchandise. Same with cheat air tickets and other things we read about. Fix the glitch, cancel any unfulfilled orders, and leave these people alone or charge them, but do not expect a conviction from a jury of peers. How is this a crime if they did not hack the website? This was Lowe's fault for letting it happen.
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#2. To: Deckard, misterwhite (#0)
(Edited)
It depends on what they did. They broke the law or even NJ prosecutors wouldn't be going after them like this. This is a story where we need a much better followup with some real reporting before we can have any confidence that we know anything more solid than that they have been arrested and arraigned. So if you are that interested, maybe you should find a better article about the alleged theft. And a cursory DDG search reveals a much better article from FoxNews. Kimy Velazquez, 40, and Romela Velazquez, 24, of Brick Township, were charged Tuesday with theft, fraud and computer criminal activity. Law enforcement officials alleged that they exploited a gap in the store’s website that enabled them to have merchandise shipped to their home without making payment. Investigators who executed a search warrant on their home earlier this month said authorities recovered enough stolen merchandise to fill an 18-foot trailer. “Detectives on scene stated the residence resembled more of a warehouse than a home,” reads a statement released by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office. Some of the bigger ticket items – many of which were still in the box -- recovered by police included: The prosecutor alleges that Romela Velazquez exploited weaknesses in the Lowe’s website in order to have merchandise shipped to the home, then allegedly posted several of the stolen merchandise items to a local Facebook group “Buy and Sell” page, often listing the items as “New in Box” and for less than half their regular retail price. Romela Velazquez has been charged with computer criminal activity for accessing a computer system with the purpose to defraud, second degree theft by deception for attempting to obtain merchandise totaling approximately $258,068.01 (pre-tax) and third degree theft by deception for receipt of merchandise without payment. Kimy Velazquez was charged with receipt of stolen property and fencing. He was released on a summons pending a future court date while Romela Velazquez was taken into custody pending a future court date. Investigators are checking whether the couple replicated the alleged plan via other retailers' websites, which may result in additional charges. A lot of states do have laws covering this type of fraud.
- - - - - - - - - - In the case of a seller mistake, as here, where someone finds a way to obtain shipment without payment, and exploits that mistake, there is no valid contract between seller and buyer. The crime is larceny. Wayne R. LaFave, Criminal Law, 4th ed., pg. 930
The crime is what New Jersey law says it is. Wayne R. LaFave, Criminal Law, 4th ed., pg. 930 There was no "mistaken delivery" here. The intent was clear to take delivery via deception without paying for the merchandise received. And the crime was repeated many times, further establishing their guilt.
And they failed to recognize their guilt. They made two errors. They are flawed and imperfect and have not corrected that by sterilization. They made three errors. They need to execute their prime function.
Hopefully, we'll find out eventually what their sentences are. You know how much I crave that closure. LOL
Repay Lowes. 100 hours community service (each). 2 years probation. We'll see how close I am.
The female gets sentenced to 3-5 years, gets out on parole in two. The male gets less than a year, possibly just fines and community service. Still, he did operate as a fence so I may be softpedalling his crime. Some of it will depend on how much pressure Lowes and other businesses are putting on the prosecutor.
Maybe in 1960. Not today.
We probably won't find out. It'll take months and we'll forget about it by then.
We can't! Leslie Nielsen is counting on us to remember.
He had an amazing second career as a comedy actor, having played tough guys for so long on TV after his first big hit in the Fifties sci-fi epic, Forbidden Planet. It was easily the biggest sci-fi pic until 2001 A Space Odyssey and later Star Wars. And his comedy roles are the only things anyone remembers now. Nielson's success inspired a ton of old has-been actors to try to come out of retirement and cash in but none of them had his success.
A classic. One of my favorites.
With Earl Holloway as the drunken cook. Long before he met Angie Dickenslut. Walter Pigeon was in it too. He did get some hooch out of Robbie the Robot who went on to lesser roles like battling Robot in Lost In Space. Dr. Smith and Robot were the stars of that show. Check out Robbie's very long and funny list of other TV shows he appeared in. Robbie even did a Charmin commercial with Mr. Whipple and, yes, he did say, "Don't squeeze Charmin". Forbidden Planet has a lot of plot elements similar to Shakespeare's The Tempest.
Amazing how Hollywood managed to make a popular movie from Shakespeare. But that was 1956 when Hollywood writers had actual talent and were able to turn an island into a planet, a sailing ship into a spaceship, and a sprite into a robot. Speaking of Shakespeare, I'd recommend Much Ado About Nothing, the 1993 movie with Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Keanu Reeves, Kate Beckinsale, Denzel Washington and Michael Keaton. The cast, music, costumes, and acting are all superb.
There are no replies to Comment # 21. End Trace Mode for Comment # 21.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/LatestCouple exploited Lowe's website glitch to steal, resell items, authorities say
A New Jersey couple was arrested after allegedly exploiting a glitch in the website for Lowe’s home improvement stores to steal and then resell online more than $250,000 worth of items, authorities said. 
#5. To: Tooconservative, Deckard, misterwhite, A K A Stone (#2)
[Comment to article] Hey, what's the issue here. It is up to companies to fix these glitches. I could see Lowe's canceling an order made due to a glitch. But it is not stealing IMHO if they honor the order and ship the merchandise.
[#2] Law enforcement officials alleged that they exploited a gap in the store’s website that enabled them to have merchandise shipped to their home without making payment.
It is well settled that the recipient of the mistaken delivery who appropriates the property commits a trespass in the taking, and so is guilty of larceny, if, realizing the mistake at the moment he takes delivery, he then forms an intent to steal the property.
#7. To: nolu chan (#5)
(Edited)
The crime is larceny.
It is well settled that the recipient of the mistaken delivery who appropriates the property commits a trespass in the taking, and so is guilty of larceny, if, realizing the mistake at the moment he takes delivery, he then forms an intent to steal the property.
#11. To: Tooconservative (#7)
And the crime was repeated many times, further establishing their guilt.
#12. To: misterwhite (#11)
#13. To: Tooconservative (#12)
Hopefully, we'll find out eventually what their sentences are.
#14. To: misterwhite (#13)
#15. To: Tooconservative (#14)
The female gets sentenced to 3-5 years, gets out on parole in two. The male gets less than a year, possibly just fines and community service.
#16. To: misterwhite (#15)
#17. To: Tooconservative (#16)
It'll take months and we'll forget about it by then.
#18. To: misterwhite (#17)
#19. To: Tooconservative (#18)
Forbidden Planet. It was easily the biggest sci-fi pic
#20. To: misterwhite (#19)
(Edited)
#21. To: Tooconservative (#20)
Forbidden Planet has a lot of plot elements similar to Shakespeare's The Tempest.
Replies to Comment # 21.
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