News writer
It turns out that stealing lottery tickets isn't exactly a winning strategy — especially when those tickets come with easily traceable serial numbers. A Connecticut man learned that lesson the hard way after allegedly threatening a gas station clerk with a gun and making off with nearly $1,000 worth of scratch-off tickets.
But his so-called jackpot run didn't last long. Within two hours, police had tracked him down, thanks to the very tickets he stole. Now, instead of cashing in, he's facing a different kind of payout — criminal charges and a hefty bond.
Clerk threatened with a gun
Around 7:20 p.m. ET on the night of the incident, police were called to a Citgo gas station located on North Elm Street in Torrington in regards to a panic alarm that was set off. Once at the gas station, a clerk told police that a man, later identified as 25-year-old Mark Schnyer, walked into the store and used a self-scanning machine to check some lottery tickets for winners. Authorities said there was no indication whether any of those tickets scanned were winners.
After scanning the tickets, Schnyer allegedly showed the clerk a firearm and forced the employee to give him more of the similar $50 tickets he just scanned. Police said the clerk gave him a total of nearly $1,000 worth of the Connecticut Lottery scratch-off tickets.
According to the arrest warrant obtained by The Register Citizen, the victim told police that the suspect showed him a black handgun that was sticking out of his right pants pocket and threatened to shoot him if he didn't give him any tickets. The victim gave Schnyer the tickets, and then he left the store.
Police did talk to a witness that night, and they told police that the weapon the suspect used was a BB gun.
Working with the state's Gaming Commission
After realizing the suspect had made off with lottery tickets, authorities contacted the state's Gaming Commission to identify the missing ticket numbers. Police were able to determine that the first six winning tickets out of tickets Schnyer stole, which were worth $100 each, were cashed at a location on East Main Street later that same night.
Schnyer reportedly tried to redeem more winning tickets at another location, but he wasn't able to because the store clerk said there wasn't enough cash in the register, police said.
An arrest was quickly made
The police wasted no time in arresting Schnyer. They were able to track him down when he showed up at Cumberland Farms on South Main Street at 9:18 p.m. ET that same night, so less than two hours after they were called to the first gas station for the panic alarm.
They were able to track him down so quickly because of the serial numbers on the winning tickets.
Schnyer was booked into jail and charged with first-degree robbery, larceny, and threatening charges. He was being held on a $200,000 bond, officials said.
Enjoy playing the Connecticut Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
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