Maybe it wasn't you just pulling it off the front end like a retail theft. You know what I mean? >> I'm not doing that. >> But you're you're manipulating things. Is that fair? >> Not not really manipulating. I >> On March 19th, 2025, officers were called to an O'Reilly Auto Parts in Jacksonville, Illinois after management uncovered what they believed was an ongoing fraud scheme involving one of their own store managers. What started as an internal investigation quickly revealed a long list of allegations, missing merchandise, unauthorized discounts, and fraudulent warranty claims totaling up to over a thousand dollars in losses. >> Tuesday we're going to terminate your employment. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. And then you're going to go with this gentleman here. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. Uh store keys. >> I only have that one. >> Okay. So, if you have any questions for me. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. Appreciate you. Thank you. >> Okay, is there This is your Jeep out here? >> Yes. I can have someone come pick it up and everything. >> Okay, is there anything that belongs to the store inside that Jeep? That we can get back to them right now. >> Yeah, I was going to pay for the bottle jack that I have, but if they >> We don't need to pay for that. >> I I'll I'll pay for that right away and and that way it's >> It's going to be part of >> Okay. Okay. Do you have your ID with you, sir? >> Yes, I do, sir. >> Jacksonville 7122 I got 29 by name David. >> Go ahead. >> You want to step back over here? Still live at this address in Okay. Okay. Give me just one second, sir. Guys, here's the our case number for this case. So, if you need anything just call PD and get that. All right. >> Thank you, sir. >> Okay. Say you You to just take a ride with me up to the police department so we can talk a little bit more in depth about what's going on with this. Cool? All right. We'll just go right here. >> I want to make sure of some stuff, make sure I don't have anything here cuz I'm pretty sure they won't let me come back in. >> We we can talk to him real quick if you want to. That's fine. >> Hey Mike, can I grab anything of mine real quick? Yeah, the last place I would want to have something up here. I took my jacket home for good. How you doing today, sir? >> Oh, not too bad. >> What are they going to do? >> I don't know. I didn't know it was supposed to rain as early as it did, but the winds picked up. Yeah, on this side. Do you carry any box cutters, knives, or anything like that? >> No, I do not. >> Give me just one second. Do you mind if I pat you down real quick? Just >> Key in the Jeep. >> Yeah. >> It's a lug nut key. >> Okay. Well, you can hold on you can hold on to it. That's fine. >> Uh I have keys in my pocket, wallet, phone. >> Okay. Just Right here real quick. >> The officer transports the store manager to the police station for further questioning. As he agrees to speak and in doing so, begins digging himself into a hole he can't escape. >> Go up to that open door right there. >> All right, you got it. >> Yep. Yep. Yep. Where the lights on right here. First door on the right. All right. >> You can sit down. >> Yep. Just have a seat for me and I'll give me a minute. I'll be right back. Need >> a bottle of water or anything? >> Yes. Let me see if we got one. Okay. All right. We didn't have any bottled water. There you go. >> I just have one question. >> Yeah. >> Am I going away? >> Uh no, not right now. I'm I'm trying to get some things straightened out, okay? >> Yeah. >> So [clears throat] right now, okay, before I ask you any questions, I just want to make sure you understand your rights, all right? You have the right to remain silent. Do you understand? >> Yes. >> And having these rights in mind, do you wish to talk to me about what we're want to talk about? Yes for now. Okay. No promises or threats have been made to me and no pressure, coercion of any kind has been used against me. So you can go ahead and sign. >> I have not heard coercion be said in like 2 and 1/2 years. >> So obviously the district manager and loss prevention gentleman there at the store kind of filled me in on some things. I want to get your side of the story as to what's going on. >> Mhm. >> Doesn't necessarily mean you're going to jail tonight and even if there was an arrest to be made, you're not going to be sitting in jail, okay? Uh it it's simply would just be a ticket. You get booked in and then released, okay? It'd take 10 minutes tops, okay? So if you can help me >> Pretty quick, any more. >> Yes. Help me figure out what it is that that's going on, >> Yeah. >> okay? So from what I understand from what they told me, there's been some items come up missing from the store. There's been some I guess you say fraudulent activity as far as the warranty parts warranties, I guess. I I What I want is some clarification as to what what happened and what transpired. I mean there's there's a stack of papers, witness statements and everything that I got. >> That thick stack of papers includes written statements from multiple employees detailing the misconduct they witnessed while working with Sam. His own written statement, in which he admits to several of the allegations, and printouts showing questionable warranty transactions and unauthorized discounts. >> It's just easier to come to you. >> Yeah. >> Let you tell me explain the situation and you know, I get money gets tight for people or things like that, you know, like we we get it. >> And >> Everybody's been there, right? You know, at some point in their life like >> you are doing it wrong. >> You need to start teaching classes. [snorts] >> So, I'm going to let you start out. How how long have you been the the manager at O'Reilly's? >> Uh I got thrown into the position. Uh I was a store manager in training. I'm sorry. Threw me in it. I didn't get training. >> Yeah. >> I was a good luck. >> Got thrown to the wolves type deal? >> Uh Wolves would've been nice. Wolves would've been nice. >> Okay, so so I'd say probably a couple years now. >> No, not even that. That was in 2024. >> That was all in '24? Okay. >> even been there a full year. >> So, when all this stuff started happening, when when did you start with this process of >> I was taking care of customers. >> Okay. >> That That was all I was doing except the ones I will admit to and I said I would pay for would be the alternator and the starter and obviously the the bottle jack. >> Okay. >> That I'd used and I had just forgotten to pay for yesterday. >> Okay, so let's start with the which did you do first? Alternate alternator and starter? >> alternator on my mother's car, we had swore up and down that we had had a mechanic known as Billy work on it and we'd put something on it. I swear up and down my mother and I both had done. I think she went somewhere else to do it so and I didn't catch it. So, I warranty replaced it meaning I took one had the old one sent out. >> So So, okay, let me get this straight. So, you thought you had your mom had a war or an alternator put on >> Mhm. that she purchased from O'Reilly's. >> Mhm. >> Okay. So, you took the old one or how >> didn't we didn't have the old one off just yet. We were in the middle of it. I went in. I said, "Put this on a quote ticket. It's a warranty. We'll take care of it." I should have just waited until we had it off and I know that. Um >> Okay, so >> It left without being paid for. >> So, but okay. >> So, to put it simply, according to the report, Sam allowed a new alternator to leave the store before it was ever purchased by using a quote ticket, which is only supposed to provide a price estimate. After the new alternator was installed on his mother's vehicle, he allegedly placed the old alternator into the new packaging and processed it as a fraudulent warranty return, causing a loss of roughly $364 to the store. The same process was then used for the starter, which was valued at just over $260. These two items alone total up to over $600 in fraudulent transactions. >> So, with that alternator then, you did the You basically did the warranty exchange. Is that correct? >> Yeah, no no money was put in. No money was taken. Just a part was taken, but to them that's money, which I understand. >> Well, it is, yeah. >> Yes, to them it is. >> That's how they keep the business going. They sell parts. They make money. >> And and that was >> Okay. And then with the starter >> And so, the starter was bought by a ex employee. >> Okay. >> Supposedly. I should have done a lot more digging and he had recently had a motor put in last year. Looked into it. Looked into it. I I guess I didn't look good enough. As obviously it was wrong. >> So, does he come into the store and say, "I want to buy this part?" Or how are you doing it? >> So, no. Um how everything happened was we had just one up and down that we had had an alternator put on my mom's vehicle, okay? >> It happens and people think it. My dad's done it before. I thought I just bought Put and it on there. Okay. >> Yep. And it may have just been from somewhere else. It just wasn't from us. >> Okay. >> Um so I warranty replaced it >> Okay. >> and gave it out. But I gave it I gave it to them and then brought the old one back in for the warranty so they would have that warranty part. >> But but look at this, Sam. So obviously there was some some fraudulent activity going on. Is that fair? >> And it was >> So I'm just trying to get I'm just trying to get an understanding of what you did. >> So >> Because it definitely wasn't Maybe it wasn't you just pulling it off the shelf running out like a a retail theft with You know what I mean? >> I'm not doing that. >> So but you're you're manipulating things. Is that fair? >> Uh not not really manipulating. I on >> I you know, this is a starter. >> Yeah. >> My car breaks down, the starter's out of it. So I buy it and then I can put the old one back in the box and I bring it back to you. >> you get the same amount back you paid. >> And so basically it's just free at that point, right? But that's not what you were doing. >> what I did. >> That's exactly what you did. >> Except for >> But you weren't purchasing the part to begin with. >> purchasing right then and there cuz we I had been assured of without double-checking, which is on me. >> He claimed that for each fraudulent warranty transaction he processed, he was unaware that the customer had never actually purchased the part in the first place. However, statements from the district manager contradict that claim. According to them, he was not only fraudulently processing warranty transactions, but was also allegedly pocketing cash from those transactions. >> So how how does that How does the store lose that money? Basically you gave a part >> A for I They They lost >> an exchange when there what shouldn't have been an exchange to begin with. >> Yes, I gave out a basically what they would call but I gave out a free part. >> Okay. >> That's I They Yes, that's how they would word that. >> Okay. So you have the alternator. >> Mhm. That That we had swore had been purchased through O'Reilly's. >> So, then now you have a starter. >> Mhm. That was put on when an an old employee bought a motor, water pump, and alternator. >> So, he's he's redoing his engine with new parts. >> thing cuz the It was bad on my part. >> So, he >> And from what I understood was he either used his personal cell phone or his account or he had it run through Mason's who did the work. And I went through Mason's to warranty exchange that part. >> Okay. So, that's you went to Mason's account, found that the starter >> I had tried and it went and I told him >> then where did that starter go? >> It went to uh the the owner of the Jeep. >> Okay. >> The ex-employee, it went to them, they brought me back the old one, and I warranty exchanged it. >> Did they know that stuff what you were doing? >> They said, "Hey, bought this. Um it should be under warranty. Go from there." >> Okay. >> And that's And that's what I did. >> Okay. >> I took care of the customer in front of me and that was it. >> Obviously, you you >> It It was wrong. >> You were talking about a bottle jack. >> I my brake my caliper locked up on my Jeep. I had forgotten to buy In In my rush, I had forgot to pay for the jack stands and the bottle jack which I was going to pay for this morning, but I didn't they wouldn't let me cuz I I paid for that. Yeah, I had >> So, so basically, you took those out of the store and you used used them. >> N admitted that he was working on his personal vehicle in the store's parking lot while on the clock. During that time, he took a set of jack stands from inside the store and used them to repair the brake calipers on his truck. He did not pay for the jack stands at the time, only offering to purchase them after being confronted by management. The total cost of the jack stands was approximately $35. Not only did he fail to pay for the jack stands, but there's also more to the situation involving the brake calipers that will be addressed shortly, which ultimately adds to the total restitution amount owed. >> And how many other parts have you done this for? >> Uh taking care of customers. >> here I'll tell you this, like you have three pages of stuff that you wrote down. >> Mhm. >> So you you you're done project you're you're you're explaining things. I just want you to be be honest be honest with me that you know, yeah, it happened more than just the two times that you're saying with the starter and alternator. So >> Yeah, taking multiple times it's happened. >> I've taken the goodness of people which is >> Roughly how many times do you think that happened? >> So there's and then it was So what they also have is employee discount. >> Okay. >> Um abuse, which is quote unquote to them fraud. Well, me and my dad own a house and I own a house in Jacksonville and he owns one in South Williamson. I I've put money into that thing so much. Um and I let him let my dad use my account and then all the other times that they pronounced, I didn't know anything else about the other times. People using my own account to get someone else one of their friends a discount. I don't do that. >> So is that how do they use your account? Don't they have to have a password to get into it or >> um so having an account with O'Reilly's, anyone in the company can find that account. >> Okay. Well, I I guess I'm talking about the the employee like the discount. >> So yes, to use an employee's discount, they have to have an override password. >> Okay. >> No one but me and my wife and my father are allowed to use my account at all. So if they did that, that's like, "Hey, you can't why are you letting using this account when it's somebody else?" >> Well, that's what I was saying. It sounded like you were saying somebody else was other employees were using your account to do that stuff. So that's how >> So >> If they don't have that override password, how are they How do they do that? >> As anyone who has an override password can override it. It doesn't have to be me. >> It doesn't have to be you. What it would come back to you specifically? >> account. >> Sam insists that the employee discounts were only used by authorized family members. However, the district manager stated those individuals were not permitted under store policy and Sam's own written statement to the store confirms approximately eight separate transactions where unauthorized people used his discount resulting in a loss of about $144. Following that, the officer is done with the dance and he briefly steps out to retrieve the loss prevention documentation outlining the full extent of the unauthorized activity. >> Okay. I can I can explain anything to you if you want me to. >> That's my thing is like you know and you admitted that you've you've done some stuff that's not proper. >> Mhm. >> Basically, in essence, it is stealing from the business, right? Okay. >> yes. >> I mean there's no way about it. You're taking a part or giving a part to somebody that wasn't paid for. >> Correct? >> Yes. >> Okay. Just kind of skimming through here, it talks about eight instances of discount abuse. >> Which were all the ones that I had no idea about. >> So you're saying those those aren't >> I don't know. I don't know who would have been authorized to sell using my account. >> Okay. >> That's the thing. >> So this part where you said somebody was working on your Jeep >> Mhm. >> and for a ticking issue. >> Yeah. When I bought the Jeep, I was told that had a new like a an after market one that was the that part number basically. >> Okay. >> Well, when I called them out on it, they told me to get bent. I was like, all right, if you if it needs one, go get one. I'll pay you for it. >> Okay. >> So I think and they bought it under another employee's discount who was a sister's. >> Okay. >> Yeah. But they didn't buy it under me and they fixed it. I got it back. I was gone on vacation and they warranty returned it. >> And they warranty returned it to >> they bought one >> Okay. >> and returned it and got the money back. They just paid for the new one. >> Okay. This part is a bit odd as he denies any wrongdoing related to the warranty exchange while speaking with the officer. However, the officer notes that in Sam's own written statement to O'Reilly, he took responsibility for the transaction acknowledging that it was processed improperly and resulted in a fraudulent warranty return. >> But it looks really fishy because that was who was working on my vehicle. >> So he bought it. His sister works at O'Reilly or works >> [clears throat] >> to. Yeah. >> He bought it under her name, got the employee discount? Is that >> so, yeah. >> So then but if it's bought under her name >> Mhm. >> They brought the old one back in. >> And got the money back under her name. >> Okay. So >> But it looks weird because it's my Jeep, I guess. >> Well, that that wouldn't that wouldn't make any sense if you're if you're the if it's not under your name and you didn't do that. But in here you're admitting that you caused the the fraud and a loss of almost $310. >> in reach. So I am admitting that it was an issue, yes. I will admit that that is an issue, yes. I didn't know they would return it until after. And well, actually until today. Sorry. Let me refine that. I didn't know they returned it. >> And there's another you talk about a caliper part. >> So when you buy a caliper, there's a core charge. So it's the caliper is $45.99. The core charge is 25 bucks. Well, I was working on my Jeep yesterday hoping to get it done. So I didn't I I took the core off because it was right outside. It's here. And I know where it's at. It's still attached to the Jeep. I can take it off, bring it in in the morning if I couldn't get it done that night. And I didn't get it done that night. And they're saying that's a loss of $50 potentially. >> Well, when you take something, not pay for it. >> Well, I paid for everything. >> Paid for everything. >> The only thing I didn't pay for was the core charge. >> But you So, you're basically giving you're you're t- >> I'm not getting for something I didn't >> so it's the just so I understand it, if the caliper cost $45, but there's a $20 core charge. So, you really you would pay $65, >> Yes. >> get the $20 core charge when you turn it in. >> Mhm. But yeah, so I I just didn't I ran out of time yesterday due to personal issues, and I had to leave, and I didn't work on it again to bring it in in the morning. >> This is going back to him repairing his personal vehicle in the parking lot. He states that he purchased the brake caliper while working, and then refunded himself the core charge without returning the used part, which is required for that refund. This transaction adds another $50 to his tab. And then you you bought or you took the jack stand and the bottle jack. >> for the jack stand and >> Out. So, you Well, you But at the time you took >> grab everything, I I forgotten to have them scan it. >> Okay. >> me pay for it. And nothing left the property. It was all still there. >> But you did pay for the jack stand. >> pay for the jack stand >> But not the But not the bottle jack. >> No, they would not let me this morning. >> Okay. And then so, here it says the warranty abuse fraud, you looks like $735 and some change. >> Mhm. >> The team discount abuse, about $280. >> that's my father. But immediate family is what we have been told can allowed to be used our account as long as they're within the household. >> Okay. >> my household. But if it's somebody else using the account, why aren't they being told not to use that account cuz it's not theirs? >> Okay. And you're saying you accept full responsibility for all of that, which is $1,166.53, approximately. >> And I was >> When you add all that up. And this your signature here on this? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> I'll take it even if it >> I think Sam, what I'm willing to do, obviously, you've done some on your own admittance. You've done some >> I like fraud. >> What they count as fraud I count as taking care of a customer on some instances and getting stuff done but other times it's just >> Okay. >> look that good. >> Okay. Well, and I I like I said I'm not joking. I have a stack of papers like that from other employees. >> It doesn't surprise me. >> Uh of I guess the witness statements according to the loss prevention guy. Uh of other instances where things have you have done things such as this with the >> I guess. >> I I'll be straight up with you. You will at some point get arrested. Again, it's not going to be you're going to be sitting in jail for 3 nights. You'll you'll come in. You'll get booked in, get a ticket. You'll get a court date and then you'll have you'll have a court date and plead your case there. Okay? And uh I'll be in touch with you in the near future. All right? Is that fair enough? All right, buddy. You're good to go. >> Oh oh. Yeah. Okay. >> All right, like I said well, I'll I'll be in touch with you. >> Okay. Um do you have a phone I can My phone is dead. I just need to call my wife and uh actually I remember Okay. I remember I remember my wife's phone number. >> Despite appearing relieved when the officer informed him he was free to leave, he was far from in the clear. Almost exactly 1 month after the interview on April 15th at approximately 9:51 a.m. Sam turned himself in and was formally charged with theft over $500, which in Illinois is considered a felony offense. The total reported loss to the store was approximately $1,166. He was issued a citation with a mandatory court date and later released on a notice to appear following the booking process. What are your thoughts on this case? Please leave a like, subscribe, and comment your thoughts below. Thanks for watching.