North Fakes — Convenience Store Owner Sold Counterfeit North Face Jackets to Undercover Cops: Police

CHANNAHON, IL — A convenience store owner was charged with selling fake North Face jackets out of his West Eames Street shop.

Amer Abuzaghleh, 35, turned himself in at the Joliet Police Department Saturday morning and was arrested on a charge of unauthorized use of a trademark. Abuzaghleh, who lives in an apartment on North Larkin Avenue in Joliet, posted $3,000 bail at the police station to avoid a trip to the Will County jail.

The Channahon cops were contacted by a resident who informed them that North Face jackets priced at $165 were being sold at Channahon Convenience and Tobacco for just $30, said Police Chief Jeff Wold.

An undercover officer went into the store and bought a jacket, Wold said. The jacket was sent to North Face’s office and the company confirmed it was a fake. This was reportedly not a surprise as words on the jacket’s label were misspelled and the garment appeared to be of poor quality.

The officer returned the jacket and told Abuzaghleh it was a counterfeit, police said, and the store owner took it back.

An undercover officer then went in and bought a second jacket, surreptitiously marked it and returned it to the store, complaining that it was a fake, police said. When officers returned, they found the marked jacket again displayed for sale.

image via Grace Hosey