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Sam's Club loot sold online

A Tampa man would load up his cart at local Sam's Clubs and walk out after showing a fake receipt to a clerk, authorities say.

By STEVE THOMPSON
Published October 20, 2005

It was elaborate and fairly creative, the scheme authorities say Kenneth Michael Johnson came up with.

"I imagine somebody like that, if they would put their ideas into practical use, would probably be a pretty productive member of society," Pasco County sheriff's Sgt. Kenneth Gregory said.

But he didn't, and he wasn't, Gregory said.

Instead, Johnson, 34, created an online business to auction things he didn't have, authorities say. All kinds of things: two-way radios, tents, a 19-inch TV screen, hair-growth solution, flashlights, calcium supplements, a blender, a toaster, cologne.

The items went to the highest bidder on eBay, authorities say, and Johnson thought up a way to supply them: He would fake a Sam's Club receipt showing the items, walk into a store, load up his cart, and walk out after showing his receipt to the front-door clerk.

Gregory said that Johnson has done it in Pasco County, Brooksville, Ocala, Port Charlotte, Lakeland, Fort Myers, Sarasota and Bradenton.

"This was his main source of income," Pasco sheriff's Detective Richard Skala said. "He was paying his mortgage and daily expenses with this."

Johnson's arrest report lists him as unemployed. Property records show he bought a $249,900 Tampa condo in April at 700 South Harbour Island Blvd.

Sam's Club security officials figured out what Johnson was up to, Gregory said, by checking eBay for their missing stuff. They found it, then found Johnson walking into a store in Pinellas Park on Oct. 12.

Authorities there detained him before he stole anything, Gregory said, but found him with one of the phony receipts. They let him go, not feeling like they had enough to arrest him. But they called Pasco officials, who were working one of his thefts, Gregory said. Pasco detectives, accompanied by Tampa police, soon caught up with him at his home.

Gregory said Johnson confessed to the whole operation.

"He said he was surprised it worked so easily," Skala said. The detectives seized $15,000 in merchandise at his home, and Johnson showed them sales records on his computer for $21,000 more.

Skala arrested Johnson on a grand theft charge. Johnson left the county jail Friday on $5,000 bail. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is continuing to investigate the case, and a statewide prosecutor is expected to handle it, Gregory said.

The Sheriff's Office is asking officials at any stores who think they might have been one of Johnson's targets to call Detective Skala at 1-800-854-2862, ext. 7308.

Called for comment at his condo Wednesday, Johnson responded, "You know what, I don't have any input, to be honest."

[Last modified October 20, 2005, 01:20:19]