UPDATE: Jose Rivera was arrested Friday in Orange County on a Polk County warrant for organized scheme to defraud and conspiracy to commit organized scheme to defraud. He will be booked in the Orange County Jail and transferred back to Polk County at a later date. Authorities are still searching for Rainer Bentulan.
Original Story:
WINTER PARK, Fla. -- Polk County investigators are looking for two men suspected of replacing hard drives with Play-Doh to get fraudulent refunds from Target.
The department's Organized Retail Crime Unit issued warrants for Jose Rivera Jr., 36, and Rainer Bentulan, 32. Investigators said Rivera Jr. bought 69 Seagate brand external hard drives from 16 different Target stores in Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole and Volusia counties. Deputies said Bentulan returned the 69 hard drives using the receipts at various stores.
However, once Target personnel opened the returned boxes, they found Play-Doh inside, deputies said. Investigators said the weight of the boxes was similar to the weight had there actually been hard drives inside.
The value of the fraudulent returns is $6,159, investigators said.
Polk deputies said the two men are going to be charged with organized scheme to defraud and conspiracy to commit organized scheme to defraud. Deputies believe the men are in Orange County, and the Polk sheriff's office is working with the Orange County Sheriff's Office and Orlando police to locate them.
Deputies said Rivera's criminal history includes arrests for dealing in stolen property, petit theft, grand theft, burglary, possession of marijuana and driving with a suspended or revoked license. He spent four years in state prison from 2002-2006.
Investigators said Bentulan's criminal history includes arrests for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, destruction of evidence, trafficking in cocaine, resisting arrest, grand theft of a motor vehicle, petit theft and burglary. He was in state prison from 2007-2008.
Anyone with information about the two men is asked to call the Polk County Sheriff's Office at (863) 298-6200.
You can send an anonymous tip to Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-8477 or click here.
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the 10News app now.
Have a news tip? Email desk@wtsp.com, or visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.
