Alleged refund scam brings arrest
SEVEN FIELDS — A West Mifflin man is facing charges for running an alleged scam at local grocery stores.
Michael Brian Logue, 45, is charged with misdemeanor counts of retail theft and theft by deception/false impression for an incident last month at the Giant Eagle store in Seven Fields.
According to the criminal complaint, store managers on June 28 reported an ongoing investigation into a theft by deception in at least one store and possibly a second in the Pittsburgh area. A loss prevention manager said a man had been calling multiple stores in the area stating he had purchased $100 worth of chicken, only to find out the chicken was not good.
The man allegedly went on to say that when he had called the store to complain, the employee with whom he had spoken called his son a derogatory word for someone with special needs. The man said his son has a disability and the comments, “affected his son so badly that his son was not able to go into the Giant Eagles anymore,” the complaint states. He added he had contacted an attorney about the, “disability related harassment.”
Store managers identified the man as Logue through surveillance video and after Logue allegedly gave managers his rewards card number, which allowed them to verify his name and address.
Managers contacted Logue and said they would give him a refund, but he had to come to the Seven Fields store in person so they could get information from his driver’s license. On June 30, officers responded to the store where Logue was being questioned by managers. A store manager asked Logue about a similar incident at another store, and he allegedly said there was an incident involving a cake and the refund of money, the complaint states.
Officers asked Logue if he was running a scam, and Logue allegedly replied, “if that’s what you want to call it.” Logue allegedly admitted to not purchasing the chicken in the first place, and that he was at the store to claim a refund or gift card for an item he did not purchase.
Logue was arrested and arraigned June 30.
