From the Washington Post:

Unhappy Ending for Va. Book Dealer
Fairfax Man Stole Items From Stores to Sell Online, Police Say

By Tom Jackman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, December 16, 2005; Page B08

Fairfax County police said yesterday that a Springfield man found a profitable way to run an online bookstore: stealing books to fill orders.

Undercover detectives caught him doing just that Wednesday at Fair Oaks Mall, authorities said. Sultan M. Ferozi, 29, was arrested with a bag full of stolen books -- and numerous shipping labels with the same titles and the names of customers from around the country who had paid for them, police said.


When police searched his Mercedes sedan, they found packages filled with books ready to be shipped out, receipts from the post office and more packing materials and mailing labels, according to court records.

Ferozi was charged with grand larceny, larceny with intent to distribute, petty larceny, possession of burglary tools and carrying a concealed weapon: two box-cutters that police said were used to remove price tags. Ferozi was being held in the Fairfax jail last night in lieu of $16,000 bond.

"It's an unusual case," said Officer Beth Funston, a Fairfax police spokeswoman. "Unusual in the sense that we were able to connect it to an online business."

Investigators believe that Ferozi was running an online bookstore, Premier Book, out of his parents' home in the 6800 block of Ridgeway Drive in Springfield. Detectives obtained a search warrant for the home early yesterday and found more evidence of the low-overhead, high-profit book dealer, Funston said.

An affidavit in support of the search warrant stated that a loss prevention manager at Macy's in Fair Oaks first spotted Ferozi and pointed him out to undercover officers, who have increased their presence at the mall during the holiday season. Police watched Ferozi swipe a book from the Borders Express store and leave, the affidavit says.

Ferozi allegedly then went to the Family Christian Books store and filled a bag with items he did not pay for, the affidavit states. He was arrested after he left the store, about 9 p.m.

Investigators found records indicating that Ferozi was selling the books on eBay, according to the affidavit. Police believe he was using his mailing labels "to indicate which books he needed to steal to fulfill his orders," the affidavit states.

"The undercover officers did a great job," Funston said, "because they homed in on an individual who was taking items and compiled it into a big case." The police affidavit said the U.S. Postal Service is also investigating Ferozi for alleged mail fraud.

Carrying a concealed weapon charge for a box cutter? I have a lockback box cutter on me every single day... are they saying they'd lock me up with a concealed weapon charge if they saw me open some skittles with it?

If they saw you use it, then it wouldn't be concealed.

I have a small swiss army knife on my keychain, are the police going to bust me for carrying that dangerous weapon around?

Should i be heading underground for carrying this dangerous weapon that is a threat to our national security???

Still seems a bit excessive as it sounds like they had more than enough evidence to bust the guy.

Why tack on such a stupid charge?


Does this suddenly mean everyone with a box cutter is some type of dangerous criminal?

They only consider it a weapon if you have it on you during the commission of a crime (regardless of whether or not it was used in said crime).

If it was a high-profit scam, why is a 29 year old still living with mommy and daddy?

I came into this thread hoping it was about philosophyshop.

He was driving a Mercedes and Fairfax housing prices are $$$.

That is pretty damn hilarious if you ask me!