feature
To catch a thief Dealers put competition aside to crack check fraud scheme By Ann Neal
D
eception, suspense, even a police chase — the employees of Wonderland Tire did not need to go to a theater for a bit of Hollywood drama one hot summer afernoon in August. It all unfolded in their own tire shop. For those involved, the experience generated more excitement than any motion picture. Score one for the good guys. Tey literally had caught a thief.
Within fve minutes of the call to authorities, a police carr raced into the parking lot. Te suspect’s pickup truck wass parked in front of the entrance to the Wonderland onderland shop. His companion wass seated in the truck.
Modus operandi
Te action began around lunchtime when a customer walked into the showroom of the tire dealership in Byron Center, Mich. No one was at the front desk, so one of the shop employees called for Nate Dykstra, assistant manager, to man the counter. The customer was looking for a set of Bridgestone truck tires. Nate advised him that the particular tire he asked for was not in stock and suggested a set of Falken tires instead. Te customer agreed, perhaps a bit too quickly, Nate thought. Nate closed the sale and the customer wrote a check for $1,800, which he placed on the counter. At that moment, the transaction changed from routine purchase to potential crime. Nate had recognized the name imprinted on the check. It was that of a man suspected of paying for merchandise at local businesses with checks drawn on a closed account. (From left to right) Ryan Brunsting, store manager; Nathan Dykstra, asNate never dreamed the suspect would sistant store manager; and Jim DeVries, CFO for Wonderland Tire in Bryon make it to Wonderland, but here he was with Center, Mich.; all played an integral role in the capture of a scam artist. checkbook in hand. His mind was racing, yet in a performance worthy of Hollywood’s best, he kept the When the frst police car appeared, the man in the truck shock from showing on his face. Nate triumphantly thought, jumped out, raced through the Wonderland shop and out the “Now we’ve got him.” open overhead doors to a nearby gas station. Seeing a second Calmly, Nate told the man he needed to go into his ofce police car pull in to the parking lot, the suspect who wrote to fnish writing up the bill and make it tax exempt. Tat was, the check ran out the front door toward the same gas station. of course, a diversion. Shop employees directed the police to the gas station, Nate hastily scrawled the man’s name on a yellow note pad where the suspects were caught in the rest room fushing the and placed it on the desk of Ryan Brunsting as he walked fraudulent checks down a toilet. Te checks were salvaged past. Ryan, who is manager of the Wonderland store, read the for use as evidence. name. He recalls thinking to himself, “Who is that, and why Te backstory do I recognize that name?” Suddenly, he knew the answer. Te real-world drama at Wonderland actually began in late Ryan walked out of his ofce and past the customer to the ofce of Jim DeVries, chief fnancial ofcer for Wonderland. July. Te suspects had successfully targeted several businesses Ryan asked Jim to call the police. Meanwhile, Nate kept the in the Grand Rapids area, including tire dealerships. Employees man occupied at the front desk with small talk about his at two of those shops took the initiative to warn other tire business, truck and trailer, and other topics. stores, their competitors, to be on the lookout.
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MTD October 2012
