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North Andover business struggles after being scammed out of $60K in meat
The men allegedly said they needed the 700 pounds of meat to provide meals for people in homeless shelters.
A butcher shop owner in North Andover says his business is reeling after fraudsters scammed his store out of thousands of dollars worth of meat.
In December, three men allegedly placed several large orders of meat totaling roughly $60,000 at Eva’s Farm Butcher Shop, according to store owner Roberto Alonzo. The men said they needed the 700 pounds of meat to provide meals for people in homeless shelters, Alonzo said.
In the days that followed, another man allegedly came to the store to pick up the orders, Alonzo told Boston.com.
After receiving a call from a person in Texas inquiring about a suspicious credit card charge from the butcher shop, Alonzo learned that the men had used stolen cards to purchase the meat.
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Alonzo said he then contacted the police and his insurance company — but to no avail. The $60,000 was gone and Alonzo wasn’t getting it back.
On Monday, North Andover Police said that locating the person who picked up the goods would be “near impossible,” according to emails Alonzo provided to Boston.com.
Police believe that the suspect has traveled to New Jersey, the email says, and he would likely not be extradited to Massachusetts for the charge.
In an email to Boston.com, Detective Lieutenant Michael J. Davis said the incident remains under investigation and the department is “pursuing all leads.”
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Alonzo has since started a fundraiser to raise money to cover the costs from the small business’ “devastating loss.” The GoFundMe page has raised more than $7,000 as of Thursday.
“It’s horrible. I’m behind on my rent,” Alonzo said. “This is my last source to keep this business open.”
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