Police: Man Buys $35K in Gift Cards With Credit Card Info Stolen in Target Data Breach

A Queens man was arrested on Thursday after police say he used stolen credit card information that was obtained in the recent Target data breach to buy more than $35,000 worth of gift cards from an Islandia Rite Aid. 

Suffolk County Police Identity Theft Section detectives were contacted in January by security from the Rite Aid, located at 1968 Veterans Memorial Highway, regarding a possible credit card scam at the store. 

Following an investigation, detectives determined that the same person-Terron Stowe, 27–entered the store several times between Jan. 6-20 and used information from 45 stolen credit cards to purchase gift cards, police said. 

It was determined that all 45 credit card numbers were sold from the Target store compromise, police said. 

Detectives conducted surveillance at the pharmacy on Thursday and observed Stowe making gift card purchases at 7:26 p.m. Stowe was arrested at the scene and found to be in possession of 27 cloned credit cards containing other people’s credit card information, police said. 

Stowe is charged with two counts of third degree grand larceny and one count each of petty larceny and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Stowe was scheduled to be arraigned Friday at First District Court in Central Islip.