According to a press release from the Connecticut State Police, it looks like some crafty criminals have been trying to play a real-life version of Monopoly—only instead of Boardwalk and Park Place, they chose the aisles of TJ Maxx!

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On October 16, 2024, a team of detectives from the Connecticut State Police and local law enforcement got a big pat on the back from TJX Companies, Inc. for their stellar work in tackling organized retail theft. It turns out that last September, they caught three individuals who thought they were slick by using counterfeit cash to snag goodies from TJ Maxx and Marshals across Connecticut and New York.

This crew had a plan so wild it could make a Monopoly player blush: they’d buy stuff with fake money at one store and then return it at another for good old-fashioned, filthy cash. Talk about a “get out of jail free” card that they clearly didn’t have! See what I did there? OK, I know I'm better than that. Fortunately, the cops were onto them, and they swooped in to seize a mountain of counterfeit bills and recover the stolen merchandise.

While it’s clear these criminals were hoping to get rich quick, you have to wonder: couldn’t they have chosen a more glamorous target than TJ Maxx? I mean, who needs designer labels when you can get some sweet home décor on the cheap? But hey, crime doesn’t always come with a strategy!

Kudos to state and local law enforcement for their ongoing teamwork with retail investigators to keep Connecticut businesses and shoppers safe. So, if you’re thinking about playing the Monopoly game in real life, remember you might end up in jail instead of collecting $200!

What kind of self-respecting criminal puts TJ Maxx at the center of their caper?

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