Police Log: K-Mart Employees Charged for Frauding Store of $1,800

Riverhead Police Department reported the following arrests for the week of Jan. 24 through Jan. 30:

Two K-Mart employees were arrested last week for reportedly scamming the store of a combined total of nearly $1,800.

Robin Velez, 47, of Flanders, was arrested on Jan. 24 on charges of grand larceny in the fourth degree. According to police reports, the charges stem from a string of incidents that occurred in between Dec. 21, 2011 and Dec. 28, 2011.

Police reports state that on Jan. 11, a loss prevention agent with K-Mart suspected Velez of making four separate transactions, returning a total of over $1,400 onto K-Mart gift cards.

According to reports, totals of $266, $533, and two separate returns of $305 were made by Velez. On Jan. 24, she was processed and released on an appearance ticket.

Police arrested Sheyla Catalan-Rivera, of Riverhead, three days later on petit larceny charges. Loss prevention reported that Catalan-Rivera opened three Shop Your Way accounts and falsely built up rewards points when ringing up $449 in customer purchases, which were allegedly used to buy merchandise.

Catalan-Rivera was processed, released on her own recognizance and given a desk appearance ticket.

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Samantha Gormez, 20, of Riverhead, was arrested on Jan. 24 on charges of criminal mischief in the fourth degree. According to police reports, in the parking lot of 7-Eleven near the Registry of Motor Vehicles, Gormez kicked the drivers' side door of a woman who is the mother of her brother's child. She was located at her home by police, transported to headquarters, processed and held for morning arraignment.

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Eddie Lee Brown, 52, of Riverhead, was arrested on Jan. 24 on charges of criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree. Reports indicate that Brown reportedly stole a $2,100 Sirius radio and navigation system from a Wading River resident.

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Oliberto Gonzalez, 35, of Aquebogue, was arrested on charges of DWI, leaving the scene of an accident, and aggravated unlicensed operation in the third degree. According to reports, Gonzalez was held for morning arraignment and given a return date of Feb. 2.