Photo from surveillence video of suspect cashing stolen lottery tickets
Two Des Moines men have been arrested in connection with $900 worth of lottery tickets taken from a convenience store this week. Police had released photos of the suspects who were captured on store surveillance videos and a tip from someone who recognized the men led officers to a motel.
Des Moines Police Sergeant Jason Halifax says 62-year-old Fonda Morgan and 53-year-old Charles Vernor are also accused of trying to destroy some of the non-winning tickets. “They didn’t actually catch them in the act, but…there was a small burn pile found behind the motel where they were staying,” Halifax says. “There were some remnants of lottery tickets in there as well as some other papers.”
Vernor is accused of breaking into a Git N Go store early Monday morning and taking several rolls of lottery tickets. A few hours later, Morgan was caught on camera at another Git N Go cashing a couple of the winning tickets. “One was for $25 and one was for $50,” Halifax said. “All of the tickets are traceable. They have serial numbers and if any more would turn up later, the Iowa Lottery would notify us and we would carry on prosecution from there.”
Morgan and Vernor are each charged with 3rd Degree Burglary and 2nd Degree Theft.