SPRINGVALE — Quick thinking by a Sanford Hannaford loss prevention officer led to the arrest of a New York man 12 miles away at another Hannaford market in Waterboro earlier this week.

Police say that Karl Jacques, 25, of Brooklyn, used fraudulent credit card numbers to buy four gift cards valued at $300 each from Hannaford stores in York, Wells, North Berwick and Sanford.

Jacques was arrested by Sanford Police Tuesday night, and was initially held on $25,000 cash bail. He made his first appearance at Springvale District Court by video from York County Jail on Wednesday, during which District Court Judge Michael Cantara ordered him held on $5,000 cash bail.

If Jacques makes bail, he cannot enter any Hannaford supermarket, and must check in weekly with Sanford police. His next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 14 at York County Superior Court in Alfred.

Sanford Police Det. Sgt. Matthew Jones said the Sanford Hannaford loss prevention officer became suspicious when she overheard Jacques asking a clerk if he could buy gift cards with a credit card as he was checking out.

Jones said Jacques’ practice was the same at all of the stores – he bought baby wipes, baby powder and diapers, and asked if he could use a credit card to buy gift cards.

The loss prevention officer notified Sanford police, who followed Jacques to a Hannaford in Waterboro. He allegedly tried to buy gift cards there, but was refused, and was taken into custody when he emerged from the store.

Jacques was carrying 59 credit cards and $4,800 in gift cards when he was arrested. He allegedly told police he was a computer science major, Jones said.

The scam is not uncommon. An internet search turned up examples of similar instances across the country.

In November 2014, an Indianapolis television station reported that a man and a woman used six stolen credit cards to buy 14 gift cards at $100 each, ditched the credit cards, then made purchases with the gift cards. Last May, three people used stolen credit cards in Cedar Park, Texas, to buy $35,000 worth of gift cards from several Target stores, another TV station reported.

Jones said the scams begin with credit card numbers being illegally obtained, usually by skimmers typically placed on ATMs.

“Once the numbers are obtained from the skimmers, the credit card numbers are sold and purchased online,” Jones said. “Fake credit cards are then manufactured using the credit card numbers and account information of unsuspecting victims. These cards are typically used until their limit is reached, or until the issuing bank shuts the card off.

“Purchasing high-value gift cards is a common tactic used by the perpetrators of this scheme, because gift cards can be used like cash and are not easily traceable.”

Jones said Wednesday that other police departments have asked Sanford detectives to look at video surveillance from their jurisdictions to determine if Jacques may be the suspect in crimes there.

Jones said the police has information that Jacques was in New Hampshire a week ago, and believes he was working in concert with others.

“Someone had to manufacture the credit cards,” Jones said.

Sanford police are working in cooperation with federal law enforcement officials on the case.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or [email protected].