COLUMBUS, Ohio — A man and woman from Los Angeles, California are facing charges related to a series of thefts at yoga studios in central Ohio.
Tevin Gray, 34, and Amirah White, 39, are charged with burglary and receiving stolen property.
Detective Sgt. Zac Scurlock with the Grandview Heights Police Department is collecting a growing list of victims.
Police first took a report of a theft at a yoga studio in Grandview and then learned of a pattern across the region.
So far, Scurlock believes the suspects stole credit cards from 11 victims at seven yoga studios in Grandview, Dublin and Columbus.
“They would use fake information to obtain entry into individual yoga classes. Once they were inside the yoga classes, they would fake an injury or an illness halfway through and they would go steal victims’ credit cards in particular that were unsecure in various different areas through the yoga studios and use them until they decline,” Scurlock said.
He said the two were using the stolen credit cards all over central Ohio at various department stores and grocery stores.
Scurlock could only share the names of the impacted yoga studios in Grandview, which include Modo Yoga on Dublin Road and Go Yoga on West First Avenue.
Gray was arrested after police executed a search warrant at a residence in Columbus, and told police he had done this before.
“He was very cooperative for the most part. Some of the information he provided is, he knew he was going to be caught. It was just a matter of time. He wasn’t very remorseful at all,” said Scurlock. “When we talked to him he was candid, honest, really, just that this is what he does for a living across the country.”
Police said the two suspects have a criminal history.
Anyone who believes their credit cards were stolen between July 20 and Aug. 10-12 is asked to contact the Grandview Heights Police Department and ask to speak to an investigator.
Scurlock said there is a good chance there are more victims. The department is looking into at least two to three more yoga studios that could be connected.
Gray was arraigned and released on bond. Police are still searching for White.