Topline: Ross Police arrested a 38-year-old woman from New Jersey for theft by deception at the Ross Park Mall after she made counterfeit purchases out-of-state and returned the merchandise for cash in Pittsburgh.
Published: April 6, 2023 8:30 am ET
Shawn Fletcher
Committed to the craft of journalism and am driven by my desire to inform and inspire.
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Karina Marilu Martinez. Mugshot provided by the Allegheny County Jail. Background photo credit: Pixabay
Pittsburgh, PA (PPP)— Ross Township Police arrested Karina Marilu Martinez, a 38-year-old Elizabethtown, NJ woman, for theft by deception at the Ross Park Mall on March 18, 2023.
Martinez was reported to have returned merchandise to the store “Zumiez” and received $377.89 in currency in return. The Zumiez store in New Jersey later confirmed that the initial purchase was made with counterfeit money.
Martinez was also found to have fraudulent receipts from Athleta and Lululemon for $284.30 and $266.00 respectively.
An officer of the Ross Police Department arrested Martinez and took her to the Ross Park Mall Police Substation, where she was read her Miranda Warnings and admitted to her fraudulent activity. Martinez claimed that she was instructed to return the clothes by someone known to her as “Maria” and another male, and that she knew the returns were fraudulent.
Name: Karina Marilu Martinez
Gender: Female
Age: 38
Agency: Ross Police Department
Court: Magisterial District Court 05-2-02
Docket Number: MJ-05202-CR-0000095-2023
Date Filed: March 18, 2023
Bail: $10,000 monetary
Confinement: Allegheny County Jail
Confinement Reason: Unable to post bail. Note: A private surety was posted on March 19, 2023
Criminal Charges
- Theft by deception (Felony 1)
- Theft by deception (Misdemeanor 1)
- Theft by deception (Misdemeanor 1)
Affidavit of Probable Cause
On 3/18/2023, Ross Township Sergeant Wagner was working an off-duty detail at the Ross Park Mall located at 1000 Ross Park Mall Drive. He was called to the store “Zumiez” for a theft by deception. Upon arrival, Sergeant Wagner spoke with the manager, ███████. She reported that the actor, Karina Martinez returned merchandise to the store and was given $377.89 in currency in return. The receipt Martinez provided was from Cherry Hill, NJ. This prompted ████ to call the NJ store as it is unusual to make a purchase in NJ and then return the items to PA a substantial distance away.
The Zumiez store in NJ confirmed that this initial purchase was made with counterfeit money. Martinez was placed under arrest at this time by Sergeant Wagner. She was transported to the Ross Park Mall Police Substation. Sergeant Wagner provided Martinez her Miranda Warnings and she agreed to speak with him. She informed him that an actor known to her as “Maria” and another male instructed her to return these clothes to Zumiez. She admitted that she knew the return was fraudulent.
Martinez also had a return receipt from Athleta at Ross Park Mall for $284.30 and a return receipt from Lululemon at Ross Park Mall for $266.00. She admitted that these were also fraudulent returns that she just committed. Martinez is from out of state so she was physically arrested. She was transported to the Ross Police Station to be processed and will then be transported to the Allegheny County Jail.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Merchandise Returns at Ross Park Mall Leads to Arrest of New Jersey Woman
Ross Police arrested a 38-year-old woman from New Jersey for theft by deception at the Ross Park Mall after she made counterfeit purchases out-of-state and returned the merchandise for cash in Pittsburgh.
By Shawn Fletcher
Published: April 6, 2023 8:30 am ET
Karina Marilu Martinez. Mugshot provided by the Allegheny County Jail. Background photo credit: Pixabay
Pittsburgh, PA (PPP)— Ross Township Police arrested Karina Marilu Martinez, a 38-year-old Elizabethtown, NJ woman, for theft by deception at the Ross Park Mall on March 18, 2023.
Martinez was reported to have returned merchandise to the store “Zumiez” and received $377.89 in currency in return. The Zumiez store in New Jersey later confirmed that the initial purchase was made with counterfeit money.
Martinez was also found to have fraudulent receipts from Athleta and Lululemon for $284.30 and $266.00 respectively.
An officer of the Ross Police Department arrested Martinez and took her to the Ross Park Mall Police Substation, where she was read her Miranda Warnings and admitted to her fraudulent activity. Martinez claimed that she was instructed to return the clothes by someone known to her as “Maria” and another male, and that she knew the returns were fraudulent.
Name: Karina Marilu Martinez
Gender: Female
Age: 38
Agency: Ross Police Department
Court: Magisterial District Court 05-2-02
Docket Number: MJ-05202-CR-0000095-2023
Date Filed: March 18, 2023
Bail: $10,000 monetary
Confinement: Allegheny County Jail
Confinement Reason: Unable to post bail. Note: A private surety was posted on March 19, 2023
Criminal Charges
- Theft by deception (Felony 1)
- Theft by deception (Misdemeanor 1)
- Theft by deception (Misdemeanor 1)
Affidavit of Probable Cause
On 3/18/2023, Ross Township Sergeant Wagner was working an off-duty detail at the Ross Park Mall located at 1000 Ross Park Mall Drive. He was called to the store “Zumiez” for a theft by deception. Upon arrival, Sergeant Wagner spoke with the manager, ███████. She reported that the actor, Karina Martinez returned merchandise to the store and was given $377.89 in currency in return. The receipt Martinez provided was from Cherry Hill, NJ. This prompted ████ to call the NJ store as it is unusual to make a purchase in NJ and then return the items to PA a substantial distance away.
The Zumiez store in NJ confirmed that this initial purchase was made with counterfeit money. Martinez was placed under arrest at this time by Sergeant Wagner. She was transported to the Ross Park Mall Police Substation. Sergeant Wagner provided Martinez her Miranda Warnings and she agreed to speak with him. She informed him that an actor known to her as “Maria” and another male instructed her to return these clothes to Zumiez. She admitted that she knew the return was fraudulent.
Martinez also had a return receipt from Athleta at Ross Park Mall for $284.30 and a return receipt from Lululemon at Ross Park Mall for $266.00. She admitted that these were also fraudulent returns that she just committed. Martinez is from out of state so she was physically arrested. She was transported to the Ross Police Station to be processed and will then be transported to the Allegheny County Jail.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
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Merchandise Returns at Ross Park Mall Leads to Arrest of New Jersey Woman
Ross Police arrested a 38-year-old woman from New Jersey for theft by deception at the Ross Park Mall after she made counterfeit purchases out-of-state and returned the merchandise for cash in Pittsburgh.
By Shawn Fletcher
Published: April 6, 2023 8:30 am ET
Karina Marilu Martinez. Mugshot provided by the Allegheny County Jail. Background photo credit: Pixabay
Pittsburgh, PA (PPP)— Ross Township Police arrested Karina Marilu Martinez, a 38-year-old Elizabethtown, NJ woman, for theft by deception at the Ross Park Mall on March 18, 2023.
Martinez was reported to have returned merchandise to the store “Zumiez” and received $377.89 in currency in return. The Zumiez store in New Jersey later confirmed that the initial purchase was made with counterfeit money.
Martinez was also found to have fraudulent receipts from Athleta and Lululemon for $284.30 and $266.00 respectively.
An officer of the Ross Police Department arrested Martinez and took her to the Ross Park Mall Police Substation, where she was read her Miranda Warnings and admitted to her fraudulent activity. Martinez claimed that she was instructed to return the clothes by someone known to her as “Maria” and another male, and that she knew the returns were fraudulent.
Name: Karina Marilu Martinez
Gender: Female
Age: 38
Agency: Ross Police Department
Court: Magisterial District Court 05-2-02
Docket Number: MJ-05202-CR-0000095-2023
Date Filed: March 18, 2023
Bail: $10,000 monetary
Confinement: Allegheny County Jail
Confinement Reason: Unable to post bail. Note: A private surety was posted on March 19, 2023
Criminal Charges
- Theft by deception (Felony 1)
- Theft by deception (Misdemeanor 1)
- Theft by deception (Misdemeanor 1)
Affidavit of Probable Cause
On 3/18/2023, Ross Township Sergeant Wagner was working an off-duty detail at the Ross Park Mall located at 1000 Ross Park Mall Drive. He was called to the store “Zumiez” for a theft by deception. Upon arrival, Sergeant Wagner spoke with the manager, ███████. She reported that the actor, Karina Martinez returned merchandise to the store and was given $377.89 in currency in return. The receipt Martinez provided was from Cherry Hill, NJ. This prompted ████ to call the NJ store as it is unusual to make a purchase in NJ and then return the items to PA a substantial distance away.
The Zumiez store in NJ confirmed that this initial purchase was made with counterfeit money. Martinez was placed under arrest at this time by Sergeant Wagner. She was transported to the Ross Park Mall Police Substation. Sergeant Wagner provided Martinez her Miranda Warnings and she agreed to speak with him. She informed him that an actor known to her as “Maria” and another male instructed her to return these clothes to Zumiez. She admitted that she knew the return was fraudulent.
Martinez also had a return receipt from Athleta at Ross Park Mall for $284.30 and a return receipt from Lululemon at Ross Park Mall for $266.00. She admitted that these were also fraudulent returns that she just committed. Martinez is from out of state so she was physically arrested. She was transported to the Ross Police Station to be processed and will then be transported to the Allegheny County Jail.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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