FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com december 25, 2014 • The Courier sun 11 Rego Park Toys ‘R’ Us employee charged with stealing $56K in merchandise THE COURIER/Photo by Eric Jankiewicz A Far Rockaway woman is accused of stealing thousands in merchandise while working at a Rego Park Toys “R” Us store. BY CRIS TABELLE TUMOLA [email protected]/@CristabelleT A cashier at a Rego Park Toys “R” Us store was caught using a coupon code scheme to score $56,000 in free merchandise, District Attorney Richard Brown said. The employee, Shontia Jones, 24, of Far Rockaway, is accused of stealing the goods while working at the Toys “R” Us store in the Rego Center mall between June and December of this year. She would create coupon codes, which are given by customer service representatives to customers who are unsatisfied with a purchase, and use them to buy items on the store’s website, according to the district attorney. Jones shipped more than $45,000 worth of products to her Far Rockaway home, and an additional $10,000 worth of items were shipped to her sister’s residence, also in Far Rockaway, Brown said. Some of the products included baby formula, Disney Frozen toys, Xbox games, baby clothes, disposable diapers, Hot Wheels, beverages and board games. Jones still had most of the items in her possession and had given away the rest to family members, rather than sell them. She was eventually caught when an internal investigation by Toys “R” Us found that an unusual amount of coupon codes had been created at the Rego Park store, according to court records. Jones was arraigned on Tuesday on charges of grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property and falsifying business records. She faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted. T:8.75” SMELL GA S. ACT FA ST. Natural gas is clean, effi cient and convenient. We cook with it. Keep warm with it. Even dry our clothes with it. Every day, Con Edison delivers natural gas safely and reliably to thousands of homes and businesses through a network of underground pipelines. Here are some tips to help everyone stay safe. Gas leaks can create fi res and explosions. It’s important that you and your family know how to recognize a gas leak and what to do if you suspect a leak. SIGNS OF A GA S LE AK • Smell – A distinctive, strong odor similar to rotten eggs. • See – A white cloud, mist, fog, bubbles in standing water, blowing dust or vegetation that appears to be dead or dying for no reason. • Hear – Roaring, hissing or whistling. WHAT TO DO IF YOU DETECT A GA S LE AK • Leave immediately and take others with you. • If you are outside, leave the area immediately. • Do not light a match or smoke, turn appliances or lights on or off (including fl ashlights), use a telephone or start a car. Doing so can produce sparks that might cause the gas to explode. • Find a phone away fr om the area and call 911 or 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633). You can report leaks anonymously. • Do not assume someone else will r eport the condition. • National Grid customers should call 1-718-643-4050. • Tell us if there is a problem with your electric service. • Follow directions from emergency responders who are on site. BEFORE YOU DIG, CALL 811 There are almost 4,300 miles of underground gas pipelines in our service area. The slightest scratch, scrape, dent or gouge can result in a dangerous leak. To protect these pipelines, you must call the local one-call center at 811 two to ten days before you dig or excavate on public or private property. After you call, utility companies will mark the approximate location of their lines at no charge to you. LEARN MORE For gas safety tips, visit conEd.com/GasSafety.
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