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Wayne Police Find 'One Man Crime Ring' Crying With Cash At Mall

UPDATE (GARFIELD) - A week after being arrested on charges of stealing credit cards. cash and cellphones from patrons at two Wayne gyms, a Garfield man dubbed a “one-man crime wave” was caught swiping a television, tablet, and jacket from an ex-roommate, city police said Monday.

Chase A Griskonis

Chase A Griskonis

Photo Credit: MUGSHOT: Courtesy WAYNE PD

SEE: Police: Released In Gym Thefts, Garfield Man Steals From Ex-Roomie

WAYNE, N.J. -- A "one-man crime ring" who swiped credit cards. cash and cellphones from patrons at two Wayne gyms was swaying back and forth in a Willowbrook Mall department store, crying, with cash at his feet when police found him, authorities said Wednesday.

Chase A Griskonis, 25, even returned a set of car keys to a gym locker after he used them to burglarize a patron's car -- stealing the victim's wallet and credit cards -- at the LA Fitness center Sunday morning, Capt. Laurence Martin said.

Another victim called police after credit cards, car keys and a cellphone were taken from his locker at Retro Fitness on Owens Drive, Martin said.

His car was still parked outside, the victim told police, but his wallet -- containing cash and a credit card -- was missing.

The staff of Retro Fitness "was instrumental in assisting with identifying the suspect in these thefts by providing photographs they had taken," Martin said.

Officer Sean Mitchell viewed the photos and immediately identified Griskonis, of Summerhill Road, who records show has had a string of drug-related arrests over the past several years.

It turns out he was already getting into trouble at the mall, the captain said.

Detective Dave Collins was at Willowbrook investigating other credit cards frauds when the call came in of a disorderly person at the Abercrombie and Fitch store about an hour after the Retro Fitness theft, he said.

Responding officers found Griskonis in the mall store "swaying back and forth with large amounts of cash thrown loosely on the floor around his feet," Martin said.

They also watched him "slip two [stolen] credit cards between clothing stacked on display," he said.

Collins had examined footage of a man buying $495 in merchandise from the Sun Glass Hat with someone else's credit card and identified Griskonis, the captain said.

Receipts showed that Griskonis "had made fraudulent purchases totaling over $200 with the same victim’s credit cards at two other locations in the mall," Martin said.

Griskonis was crying when police had him taken to St. Joseph's Hospital in Wayne for an evaluation.

Collins, meanwhile, filed burglary, theft and fraud charges against him.

After being discharged from the hospital, Griskonis was ordered held in the Passaic County Jail pending a first court appearance.

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