Stolen Stacks of Loyalty Cards and Stamper Steams Dutch Bros
Police in Redmond, Oregon say they have busted two people for using and selling stolen Dutch Bros loyalty cards, a scheme that cost the coffee company several thousand dollars.
Redmond Police began an investigation on October 1st when they learned of a "suspected forgery and theft" involving Dutch Bros loyalty cards being sold online.
"In recent months, Dutch Bros had discovered hundreds of loyalty cards missing from Redmond-area Dutch Bros locations, as well as a loyalty card stamper missing from one Redmond location," the RPD said.
Detectives arranged a sting to buy some of the loyalty cards from an ad on Craigslist. A plainclothes detective went to meet the perps and cuffed them at the scene, recovering a stack of fully stamped loyalty cards.
A subsequent search of the seller's home uncovered hundreds of blank loyalty cards, a Dutch Bros stamp, and an ink pad.
Redmond Police identified the two people behind the scheme as 42-year-old Martin Horton and 23-year-old Marena Livesay. Both had allegedly been stamping the stolen cards themselves and had been using them to get free drinks for a few months, but escalated to selling them online.
"It is believed these two alone are responsible for over $2,500 worth of losses to Dutch Bros in Central Oregon as a result of this theft," Redmond Police said.
Horton was taken to jail for charges that include burglary, 30 counts of forgery, theft and computer crime. Livesay was arrested, cited and released with a court date to face charges for computer crime and theft.
"The Redmond Police Department would like to hear from anyone who may have purchased Dutch Bros loyalty cards from Horton and Livesay in the past six months.