Lottery ticket thief accused of stealing thousands in scratch-offs from Virginia stores
OAKTON, Va. - A man is behind bars after allegedly stealing thousands of dollars worth of lottery tickets from convenience stores across Fairfax County.
Police say Mohammad Akhtar, 39, was arrested following a string of scratch-off ticket thefts totaling nearly $7,000.
According to authorities, Akhtar would enter various stores and wait for clerks to become distracted before snatching a stash of lottery tickets.
Fairfax County police compiled a list of dates and locations Akhtar is accused of stealing from during the month of September.
At a 7-Eleven in Oakton, Akhtar reportedly assaulted a clerk during one of his thefts. The entire incident was captured on surveillance cameras.
"I saw the video of what happened; he was working here, and then he went inside to do something," said Monirul Hoque, the 7-Eleven owner.
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In the footage, Hoque's employee can be seen going to the back office to handle paperwork while Akhtar approaches the cash register.
"He came right here. And from the camera, he took most of the expensive ones, like $50 ones," Hoque added, referring to the high-value scratch-offs.
Hoque said that when the clerk confronted the suspect, Akhtar left the store with the tickets.
"He started running after him, but he called the cops, and the cops came," Hoque explained.
Fairfax County police began investigating the robbery on Sept. 15 and quickly connected Akhtar to several similar thefts in the area. Between Sept. 11 and Sept. 25, they discovered that he stole over $6,500 worth of lottery tickets from businesses in Dunn Loring, Tysons, Burke, and Chantilly.
"A place like here in Oakton, I’m very shocked it happened here," Hoque remarked.
Despite his surprise, he expressed relief that police apprehended the suspect.
"$1,005 I know exactly how much," he said, referencing the total amount Akhtar allegedly stole from his store.
Hoque has reached out to the Virginia Lottery regarding the incident and is awaiting a response. Fairfax County police are continuing their investigation into the total amount of Akhtar's winnings, which is currently estimated to be over $6,500.