Employee Bilks Warrington Store Out Of $2K Using Fraudulent Schemes: Police

WARRINGTON TOWNSHIP, PA — A Southampton man faces theft charges after bilking his employer out of several thousand dollars.

On June 24, police responded to a report of employee theft at BJ’s Wholesale Club. Upon arrival, store loss prevention personnel informed officers that Chance Andrew Lerner, a 21-year-old employee from Southampton, had engaged in fraudulent activities while on the job.

Lerner is accused of using a store-issued tablet to submit numerous unauthorized credit card applications by enrolling random individuals. For each application, he received a $3 incentive, even though all of the applications were ultimately declined.

In addition, police said Lerner exploited the store’s return process by performing legitimate customer returns and then repeating the transactions fraudulently. In the second round of returns, he loaded funds onto store gift cards, which he later used to make personal purchases.

The combined amount Lerner fraudulently obtained through both the credit card scheme and the manipulated return transactions was approximately $2,000.

He was arrested at the scene, transported to the police station, processed, and subsequently released pending further action. He is charged with access device fraud and theft by deception, both felonies, and theft by unlawful taking and identity theft, both misdemeanors.

Woman Wearing Only A Shirt Cited For Public Intoxication

In other reports, on July 4 an officer on patrol observed a 44-year-old woman stumbling near a bus stop. The officer spoke with the woman who appeared to be highly intoxicated, wearing only a t-shirt and no pants.

When asked for her identification, she told police it was in her pants, which were later found
hanging in a tree about 30 feet away.

The woman was cited for public intoxication and later released.