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Frenchmen Arrested For Stealing Gift Cards In Park Ridge

SKOKIE, Ill. (STMW) -- Two visitors from France apparently didn't realize that that the more than 400 gift cards they allegedly stole from a Park Ridge grocery needed to be activated to be worth anything.

Park Ridge police said the men were observed by a store security agent placing the gift cards into grocery bags Friday evening at Dominick's at 1900 S. Cumberland Ave. in Park Ridge. The men then tried to leave without paying for the cards and were stopped by store security.

A total of 436 gift cards were recovered, according to police. Without activation, specific dollar amounts are not credited to the cards and they have a value of only 27 cents each, police said.

Jean-François Abgrall, 43, of Sartrouville, France; and Laurent Salera, 42, of Bourdeaux, France, were each charged with retail theft. Bond was set at $1,000 each and they were assigned an April 12 court date.

--Pioneer Press, via the Sun-Times Media Wire

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2011. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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