The boarded up windows at John Patel's convenience store hide the damage within.
"These people, I don't know what to think about them," Patel said of the people who set his business on fire. "They're mentally sick, I think. Why they did the fire, I don't understand."
Early Monday morning, two men broke into Patel's store on Dean Street in Rome, Georgia, stole at least 30 rolls of scratch off lottery tickets, then set a fire in an attempt to cover their tracks.
It was at least the eighth suspicious fire at north Georgia convenience stores this year. There have been nearly a dozen suspicious fires since 2005, three in Rome. Investigators say stolen lottery tickets seem to be a common theme.
In the Rome cases, that's lottery tickets are apparently all that were taken.
"They're not taking money," said Rome-Floyd County Fire Marshal Scott Silvey. "No cigarettes, no food, no beer, no wine, just lottery tickets, then they set the place on fire and leave."
This year, there have been suspicious fires at convenience stores in Floyd, Paulding, Douglas, Fulton, and Walker counties.
The last fire in Rome was only about five miles from John Patel's store. In that case, investigators were able to salvage surveillance video that shows a man dousing the store with lighter fluid, then setting the place on fire. He made off with several rolls of lottery tickets.
Investigators say the two men who broke into John Patel's place were in and out of the store in 19 seconds.
Patel says it will probably take him two or three months to reopen his store.
The Georgia Insurance Commissioner's office is offering a $10,000 reward for anyone who provides information that leads to an arrest and conviction in any of these cases.
Their goal might not have been to take cash money, but the whole point of stealing lottery tickets is to get the money the tickets win. Hopefully these crooks don't get much out of it.
Am I the only one who'd be too paranoid to cash the winning tickets? I'd be thinking they have the series of numbers that was stolen programmed into the verification system, and it automatically dials 911 when a stolen ticket is scanned. Is there any way they could cash in a ticket for over $600 that has to be paid by the lottery office? Surely they'd know they were stolen.
In some states, stores won't cash scratch-offs they didn't sell. These thieves may have to wait until the store is reopened before cashing their winners.
Quote: Originally posted by LuckyLilly on Sep 5, 2007
Am I the only one who'd be too paranoid to cash the winning tickets? I'd be thinking they have the series of numbers that was stolen programmed into the verification system, and it automatically dials 911 when a stolen ticket is scanned. Is there any way they could cash in a ticket for over $600 that has to be paid by the lottery office? Surely they'd know they were stolen.
There are all sorts of verifications in place, but people who are inclined to steal are not inclined to think that far, and what passes as "punishment" these days does not encourage them to find other means of "employment".
Quote: Originally posted by Guru101 on Sep 5, 2007
"They're not taking money".
Their goal might not have been to take cash money, but the whole point of stealing lottery tickets is to get the money the tickets win. Hopefully these crooks don't get much out of it.
I doubt they'll get anything out of it execpt arrested. The LC knows the numbers on all scratch-offs that are sold to any retailer. They'll set up a red flag/alarm in the computer system and as soon as anyone tries to cash a winning ticket from one of the stolen rolls, they will get the police in there.
This is just another example of how many criminals are stupid and don't think farther than the end of their nose.
Quote: Originally posted by LuckyLilly on Sep 5, 2007
Am I the only one who'd be too paranoid to cash the winning tickets? I'd be thinking they have the series of numbers that was stolen programmed into the verification system, and it automatically dials 911 when a stolen ticket is scanned. Is there any way they could cash in a ticket for over $600 that has to be paid by the lottery office? Surely they'd know they were stolen.
Of course they'll know the ticket(s) were stolen. The idiots that did it are/were probably on some drugs. Of course, they could simply be really stupid. Wouldn't be the first time.
Of course they'll know the ticket(s) were stolen. The idiots that did it are/were probably on some drugs. Of course, they could simply be really stupid. Wouldn't be the first time.
They'd have to be really stupid to compound theft with arson. Last I knew, arson was a very serious crime. And for what? What are they really covering up? Maybe they're destroying the security video, but dang. When they get caught, they'll figure out that wasn't such a smart move.
It's hard to figure out why people without morals do what they do. I realize that drugs can alter one's thought process and behavior, but it's not a good excuse. When a couple murders their child or someone burns down a store and I hear "they must be on drugs" I feel it's some kind of explanation for their bad behavior rather than saying that they were s-cum anyway who happened to take drugs too. You can be a burglar, a rapist, a pedophile, a murderer or an arsonist and be straight & sober too. If I were on drugs I still wouldn't do these things.
Maybe they sell the Big Winners to a third party at a discount so they don't get caught cashing in the Winners.
Raven, smart comment! Is there anything illegal about buying a ticket from someone who isn't an authorized retailer? They could be stealing $10 tickets and selling them for $1, etc. Of course most people would realize they're stolen.
I smell smoke, and I don't think lottery tix smoke, if the lottery tix get burned up in the fire, then, the state get's involved in the fire investigation, lottery theft sounds like a good excuse to post a claim for some insurance mony, and that equate's to higher insurance premiums on everybody else. hum.
"They're not taking money".
Their goal might not have been to take cash money, but the whole point of stealing lottery tickets is to get the money the tickets win. Hopefully these crooks don't get much out of it.
Gives new meaning to the instant games such as
red hot 7's and blazing 8's..
In Ohio, you have to activate the tickets. Stealing them is stupid.
If they stole them from the display case, they were already activated because they were for sale.
But I totally agree, stealing them is stupid regardless.
Am I the only one who'd be too paranoid to cash the winning tickets? I'd be thinking they have the series of numbers that was stolen programmed into the verification system, and it automatically dials 911 when a stolen ticket is scanned. Is there any way they could cash in a ticket for over $600 that has to be paid by the lottery office? Surely they'd know they were stolen.
Maybe they sell the Big Winners to a third party at a discount so they don't get caught cashing in the Winners.
In some states, stores won't cash scratch-offs they didn't sell. These thieves may have to wait until the store is reopened before cashing their winners.
There are all sorts of verifications in place, but people who are inclined to steal are not inclined to think that far, and what passes as "punishment" these days does not encourage them to find other means of "employment".
don't people know that ticket sales with the Lottery are numbered and have a code and bar code which can identify tckets from that store ???
I realy hate thieves .....this was just crule and unusal punnishment to the owner of that store and his loyal customers who played the lottery there;
I doubt they'll get anything out of it execpt arrested. The LC knows the numbers on all scratch-offs that are sold to any retailer. They'll set up a red flag/alarm in the computer system and as soon as anyone tries to cash a winning ticket from one of the stolen rolls, they will get the police in there.
This is just another example of how many criminals are stupid and don't think farther than the end of their nose.
Of course they'll know the ticket(s) were stolen. The idiots that did it are/were probably on some drugs. Of course, they could simply be really stupid. Wouldn't be the first time.
They'd have to be really stupid to compound theft with arson. Last I knew, arson was a very serious crime. And for what? What are they really covering up? Maybe they're destroying the security video, but dang. When they get caught, they'll figure out that wasn't such a smart move.
It's hard to figure out why people without morals do what they do. I realize that drugs can alter one's thought process and behavior, but it's not a good excuse. When a couple murders their child or someone burns down a store and I hear "they must be on drugs" I feel it's some kind of explanation for their bad behavior rather than saying that they were s-cum anyway who happened to take drugs too. You can be a burglar, a rapist, a pedophile, a murderer or an arsonist and be straight & sober too. If I were on drugs I still wouldn't do these things.
Maybe they sell the Big Winners to a third party at a discount so they don't get caught cashing in the Winners.
Raven, smart comment! Is there anything illegal about buying a ticket from someone who isn't an authorized retailer? They could be stealing $10 tickets and selling them for $1, etc. Of course most people would realize they're stolen.
I smell smoke, and I don't think lottery tix smoke, if the lottery tix get burned up in the fire, then, the state get's involved in the fire investigation, lottery theft sounds like a good excuse to post a claim for some insurance mony, and that equate's to higher insurance premiums on everybody else. hum.