A Reston man, Mohammad Akhtar, has been arrested for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars worth of lottery tickets from convenience stores in Fairfax County. The thefts, totaling nearly $7,000, occurred at various locations during the month of September. Akhtar would reportedly wait for clerks to become distracted before snatching a stash of scratch-off tickets. One incident at a 7-Eleven in Oakton resulted in an assault on a clerk, which was captured on surveillance cameras. The store owner, Monirul Hoque, stated that Akhtar took high-value tickets and fled when confronted by the clerk. Fairfax County police connected Akhtar to similar thefts in other areas during their investigation, totaling over $6,500 worth of stolen tickets.
Meanwhile, a Virginia woman recently hit big with six winning lottery tickets in the same drawing, further highlighting the popularity and potential payouts of lottery games. Despite the shocking incident, Hoque expressed relief that Akhtar was apprehended and has reached out to the Virginia Lottery for information. The investigation is ongoing to determine the full extent of Akhtar’s winnings. Police are urging anyone with information about the thefts or additional victims to come forward. Akhtar remains in custody, facing charges related to the lottery ticket thefts.
Source
Photo credit www.fox5dc.com
