[News] Couple Charged With Yorkie Scam

[fasteddie]

A South Holland couple has been arrested and charged with using bogus checks to buy pedigree dogs that they then re-sold for a profit, police said today.

Ronald Oldham, 28, and Sandra Breckenridge, 33, of the 0-100 block of East 163rd Court in the south suburb, were charged with fraud, identity theft and having illegal weapons, police said.

They appeared in Cook County Circuit Court today and were assigned bonds of $25,000 and $55,000 each, respectively.

The woman was assigned a higher bond because she had prior convictions for fraud and check kiting, authorities said. The couple's next court date is April 12.

The pair looked for purebred dogs for sale by surfing the Internet for Web sites of breeders from states including California, Iowa, Minnesota, Oklahoma and Texas, police said.

"The offender would contact the victim through the Internet and order the dog to be delivered immediately," said Area 5 Det. Lt. Jim Maloney.

The couple allegedly used checks they had printed themselves to buy dogs for between $1,000 and $1,500 each. After taking delivery of the canines, the pair resold the dogs for as much as $900 apiece, police said.

The couple allegedly bought as many as 20 dogs using phony checks.

Police began investigating the pair in January, when a check that had been used to purchase a dog was returned to the seller due to insufficient funds, authorities said. The canine had been shipped on a commercial flight through O'Hare International Airport.

Chicago police learned English bulldogs and "teacup" Yorkshire terriers were being shipped through the transactions. On Sunday, they nabbed Oldham and Breckenridge after the couple picked up a Yorkshire terrier at O'Hare.

Oldham had a snub-nosed revolver in his pocket when he was arrested, police said.

Investigators raided the couple's South Holland home and recovered six other Yorkies and an English bulldog in addition to the terrier just picked up at the airport. Police said they also seized three assault rifles, four automatic handguns and 5,000 rounds of ammunition.

Police today were preparing to return the eight dogs to their previous owners.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...ck=2&cset=true

[StewiesMom]

Cute new picture of Yoda!

This is typical Cook County stuff. It's sad, but I'm sure this happens more often than we hear about.

[fasteddie]

The lengths as to what scammers will go to to make a quick buck astound me. I've been burned a few times trying to sell stuff over the Net as well as buy stuff too (came broken). It just makes me lose faith in people in general!

[mojo]

I don't understand. When I got my dog I paid with check and she was not shipped until the check cleared. I cant imagine any breeder shipping a dog after just getting a check. confusing./

[aimee]

It really is sad that we lose faith in people because of this, you really can't help it. I just try to remember that there are also a lot of good, honest people out there. Hard for me though, I do tend to be a bit cynical! I'm always worried that the stuff I buy online won't come!