News writer
Not everyone plays the lottery by simply buying a ticket and crossing their fingers. In a surprising twist, two men from very different walks of life — one a delivery driver on the clock, the other a late-night prowler — allegedly tried to shortcut their way to instant winnings.
From a FedEx driver's delivery route in South Carolina to a smash-and-grab spree in Kentucky, both cases involved stolen scratch-off tickets and bold attempts to cash in. But instead of hitting the jackpot, their schemes ended with police intervention, surveillance footage, and serious charges. What led these men to gamble on theft rather than luck, and how did authorities catch them? Read on to find out.
Delivery driver arrested
A FedEx driver in South Carolina was supposed to be delivering lottery tickets to one of the state's lottery retailers. Instead, he allegedly took some of those lottery tickets for himself and then tried to scan them at a lottery retailer.
On June 27, Marvin Naquan Mann, Jr., 33, allegedly tried to pass stolen South Carolina Lottery tickets. At the time, Mann was employed as a delivery driver for FedEx.
According to the arrest warrant, the South Carolina Education Lottery requested an investigation to be completed. During that investigation, Mann reportedly admitted to unlawfully obtaining the lottery tickets while transporting them to a retailer.
Mann then attempted to have those stolen tickets scanned at the Circle K Store on Carowinds Boulevard in Fort Mill. Authorities were able to obtain surveillance footage, which confirmed Mann's actions at the store.
Mann was arrested and charged with intent to defraud and counterfeit game tickets. He was booked into the York County Detention Center, and his case will be prosecuted by the 16th Circuit Court Solicitor's Office.
Smash-and-grab incidents in Kentucky
Meanwhile, a man in Kentucky is facing several charges after he allegedly stole Kentucky Lottery tickets from two different businesses.
On December 8, 2023, Christopher Samuel, 35, allegedly entered a Liquor Mart on Preston Highway in Louisville, according to an arrest warrant from the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Samuel reportedly broke the front door's glass of the store. He then entered the store and stole lottery tickets and the display from the counter, police said. Then, on December 10, 2023, Samuel also allegedly broke into the Speedy Mart on Blue Lick Road in Louisville. Police said he again broke out the glass to the store's front door, and then he took lottery tickets from the counter.
According to LMPD, Samuel then used Kentucky Lottery machines to exchange the stolen lottery tickets for other lottery tickets. While investigating, detectives learned about Samuel as a potential suspect for the thefts. Because officers were able to obtain surveillance footage from both of the thefts, police were able to positively identify Samuel through known photographs compared to the surveillance video.
LMPD announced they have arrested Samuel, and he was charged with two counts of third-degree burglary and unlawful access to a computer.
Enjoy playing the lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
Comments