LAUREL, DE – On Thursday, the Delaware State Police arrested Ernest Ashlet, 19, and Sebastien Mombes, 30, both from Orlando, Florida, for attempting to purchase car parts with fraudulent credit cards.
The incident occurred at West Side Auto Parts at 4740 Sharptown Road, Laurel, on Wednesday, around 10:05 a.m.
Both suspects were apprehended after fleeing the scene in a U-Haul van. A search inside the van revealed numerous cell phones, tablets, unused gift cards, and auto parts, as well as a credit card scanner and embosser machine.
Investigation showed that they had tried to purchase over $22,000 worth of car parts using stolen credit card information.
Ashlet and Mombes were taken into custody and charged with multiple felonies, including possession of a payment card scanning device and possession of instruments facilitating identity theft. Both were committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $45,000 cash and $43,000 secured bonds, respectively.