Accused Cosmetics Thief Busted Again

A Mount Pleasant scofflaw is facing more charges after he was caught allegedly returning items to stores that he never purchased.

Jason A. Werwie, 28, was charged in Racine County Circuit Court Thursday with three counts of theft by false representation, three counts of felony bail jumping and five counts of bail jumping. If convicted, he faces up to 24 years in prison and $110,000 in fines.

According to the criminal complaint:

On Aug. 15, Mount Pleasant police officers were called to Best Buy after a security officer saw Werwie enter the store empty handed, then about a minute later go to the customer service desk and return a Blue Tooth device in exchange for $136. The security officer recognized Werwie from other recent transactions where he returned a “Ranchero Texicano” CD and “God Forgives I Don’t” CD for cash credit without purchasing them.

The officer said Werwie was also kicked off the premises in February 2011 after he was caught rifling through a trash can.

Werwie was found driving northbound on Highway 31, where he was pulled over and arrested. He first said he hadn’t been in the store for at least a month, but then changed his story once he was shown pictures of himself returning the item.

This is Werwie’s second run-in with police in a matter of weeks. On July 13, he tried to pull the same stunt at Kmart, by allegedly taking aspirin off the shelf and trying to return it with a fake receipt. At that time, Werwie was taken into custody because he also reportedly tried to steal cosmetics cosmetics as well.

He will make his initial appearance in court Aug. 30.

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