Man allegedly goes on shopping spree with stolen credit card

A man arrested by federal agents last month for allegedly cashing fraudulent CNMI tax refund checks in grocery stores was arrested again Tuesday, this time on charges that he used a stolen credit card to splurge on electronic gadgets and items.

Police served Earl Eric Cruz Mirano, 32, with an arrest warrant on charges of misuse of credit card and theft by deception.

Superior Court associate judge David A. Wiseman allowed Mirano yesterday to post a bail of $500 cash and $4,500 unsecured bond.

Police detective Alexander Sakisat stated in his report that Mirano bought a total of $2,214 worth of items from the Bond’s Electronics in Chalan Kanoa. The storeowner, Komgish Tannakan, allegedly claimed that Mirano purchased several items using a credit card.

Tannakan stated that the card was broken but Mirano made an offline purchase with the card by typing a 16-digit security code.

Mirano allegedly bought a Sony home theater system, a Samsung GSM phone, a Sony GSM phone touch screen, a Toshiba LED 32-inch flat screen TV, and four cameras for home use.

Tannakan prepared a promissory note dated April 18, 2012, stating that Mirano avers that the items were paid to Bond’s Computer Land using a card and that the money belongs to Mirano.

Tannakan stated that he held on to the items and on April 19, 2012, he checked his bank account and learned that the money in the amount for the purchases had already been transferred.

Tannakan then called Mirano to pick up the items. Mirano then signed the promissory note. The businessman delivered the items to Mirano’s residence in Chalan Kanoa.

Later that same day, Mirano returned to the shop and made a second purchase in the amount of $10,000 for Dell brand computers, telling Tannakan that he was opening a computer shop in Koblerville.

Tannakan placed the order for 10 pieces of computers and told Mirano it will take 45 days. Mirano typed in the security code again and the purchase went through.

The following day, April 20, a Bank of Hawaii staff called Tannakan, but the businessman was not in his shop. Three days later, the Bank of Hawaii staff was able to talk with Tannakan on the phone and told him that the credit card was a fraudulent one. The bank staff advised Tannakan to file a police report.

Further investigation showed that the credit card used by Mirano was reported stolen in October 2011, detective Sakisat said.

The credit card was used earlier this year at the Mobil gas station in Chalan Piao, Publix Market in Susupe, and Maganda Utang in Garapan.