Police: New Yorkers tried to use stolen credit cards at Deer Park Apple store

Six people from New York are in Lake County jail after attempting to make fraudulent purchases at several Apple stores in the Chicago area, including a store in Deer Park, officials said.

According to a news release, the Lake County sheriff's office obtained information last week about an organized criminal enterprise from New York that was using the stolen identities and credit card numbers of victims throughout the U.S. to make fraudulent purchases.

Detectives and highway patrol deputies from the sheriff's office increased patrols and surveillance at the Deer Park Apple store after learning about the enterprise, reports said.

On Wednesday, July 20, Nicole Cannon, 21, of New York City, attempted to make a purchase at the store using a fraudulent identity and counterfeit credit cards amd Gisselle Diaz, 41, of Elmhurst, New York, made a similar attempt July 22, reports said.

The other four people who were charged - Corbett Ortiz, 26, of New York City and three Bronx residents, Quintin Ortiz, 18, Melinda Aquino, 21, and Frank Aulet, 20 - were involved in another fraudulent purchase attempt Sunday, the release said.

All six were charged with identity theft and a variety of other charges, including burglary, possession and use of a counterfeit credit card, forgery and unlawful use of a fraudulent ID to commit a theft. Detectives also recovered more than $10,000 worth of stolen Apple products during the investigation, reports said.

Corbett Ortiz and Quintin Ortiz are held with no bail. Bail was set at $75,000 for Diaz, $125,000 for Cannon, $150,000 for Aquino and $250,000 for Aulet.