This AirPod theft scam spanned Walmart and Target locations in 21 states. Now the retail chains are banding together
Two women just got sentenced to 10 years in prison after running a multi-state theft ring that hit Walmart and Target stores across the country.
Altogether, they stole $141,000 worth of merchandise through a multi-state scheme that kept them under the radar from 2022 until their arrest in 2024, prosecutors said.
Both women pleaded guilty to three counts of violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
What the crime involved
The scheme was run by two women from New York—Ebony Fallon Washington, 43 (also known as Stephanie Harris), and Melissa Holland, 46 (also known as Keisha Wilson).
Their method involved shopping in Walmart or Target, paying cash for a pair of AirPods, opening the packaging using tools so it still looked untouched, then replacing the real AirPods with a fake version. After that, they’d return the box for a full cash refund—and keep the real product to resell elsewhere.
They repeated this process over and over, across multiple states, racking up 187 thefts and walking away with more than $140,000 worth of goods.
How they got apprehended
The thefts happened in stores across 21 states, including 32 different locations in Georgia alone. That list includes places like Acworth, Buford, Columbus, Kennesaw, Macon, and Woodstock.
Back in 2024, Walmart and Target decided to investigate the thefts together, combining forces with the Cherokee County District Attorney’s Gang and Organized Crime Unit, which led to the women’s arrest on September 13, 2024.
A search of their rental car turned up a lot: tools used to open the packages, hotel receipts from towns near targeted stores, and five phones filled with even more evidence.
What people are saying
Under a FOX 5 Atlanta Facebook post about the case, commenters didn’t have much sympathy.
“Good—give 'em life because they created a lot of issues for many people,” one person wrote.
“They thought that was so smart didn’t they? Thanks to the officers for the arrest,” said another.
“It’s never a matter of if you’ll get caught, but when," offered a third. "Definitely not worth it.”
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