Two indicted for series of credit card thefts

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A Cleveland man is in jail and a warrant has been issued for an accomplice for a statewide string of credit card thefts.

A Wood County grand jury on Wednesday indicted Larry Donald Cobb, 64, and Kerie Watson, 37, Mount Vernon, each for engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a first-degree felony; burglary, a second-degree felony; money laundering, a third-degree felony; and two counts theft, both fifth-degree felonies.

Cobb is accused of entering numerous employee-only areas within businesses across Ohio and stealing wallets. Cobbs or Watson would then reportedly use stolen credit cards to purchase merchandise.

The total amount of merchandise purchased with stolen credit cards exceeded $6,000. The activity reportedly occurred from Nov. 29, 2021 to Sept. 27, 2022.

Fifteen incidents were outlined in the indictment. One woman named has not been charged.

On April 22, Cobb allegedly entered Kroger in Perrysburg and went into an employee-only area and took employee wallets containing credit cards.

That same day, Watson allegedly entered Best Buy, Target and DSW in Holland with Kroger employee credit cards and purchased merchandise valued at $2,059.

On Aug. 18, Cobb allegedly entered University Hall on the campus of Bowling Green State University and went in an employee-only area of the building. He is accused of stealing two wallets containing credit cards. Later that same day, he is accused of using stolen cards to purchase merchandise valued at $1,010 at Walmart in Bowling Green.

On Sept. 27, Cobb allegedly returned to University Hall and entered an employee-only area in the building and stole a “prize package” containing currency and other assorted items.

Cobb also is accused of stealing wallets from DWS in Toledo, a CVS in Mayfield Heights, Northeast Ohio Medical University in Rootstown, a Meijer in Delaware and Toledo Hospital.

When he left the hospital, he got into a Nissan Rogue operated by Watson, according to the indictment.

He, Watson and the second woman either separately or together are accused of using stolen credit cards to purchase two computers at a Walmart in Mayfield Heights and a Walmart in Mentor, $709 in merchandise at Meijer in Maumee, $494 in merchandise at a Meijer in Westerville, $1,234 at Walmart and Meijer in Findlay, and $881 at Petco and Target in Toledo.

The burglary charge is attached to the April 22 alleged theft at Kroger in Perrysburg. Burglary is when someone trespasses into an occupied structure or a secured portion of an occupied structure with the purpose to commit theft.

The two theft offenses were for the April 22 use of two credit cards without consent of their owners.

Money laundering occurred when they allegedly conducted a transaction with the purpose to facilitate a corrupt activity.

Cobb was arrested Thursday and remains in jail on a $100,000 bond.

A warrant has been issued for Watson.

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