Furniture Scam Thwarted When Suspects' Stories Don't Add Up

Two south Florida men tried to scam a local store out of a truckload of furniture with a bad check, Sarasota authorities said, and businesses are warned to keep an eye out for similar activity from three women who may have been involved.

Two men raised the suspicions of employees at Kane's Furniture, 5252 S. Tamiami Trail, after they arrived in a U-Haul truck, acted like they were in a hurry and tried to rush the purchase of more than $3,000 worth of furniture Thursday night, the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office said.

The men, 51-year-old William Simmons, of West Palm Beach, 20-year-old Jamael Jackson, of Riviera Beach, were questioned separately by officers, who found their stories didn't match and they barely knew each other, authorities said. 

Jackson had claimed to be Simmons' nephew, "yet knew very little details about him," according to the arrest affidavit. Simmons claimed he had just met Jackson that day, deputies said. 

Jackson admitted he only had $100 in the bank, sheriff's spokesperson Wendy Rose said, and Simmons had forged his name on the check.

Detectives are also trying to identify three other women who left the store before law enforcement arrived Thursday and cautioned business owners "to remain vigilant and cautious of similar activity," a news release stated.

Simmons is charged with attempted grand theft, forgery and conspiracy to commit grand theft.

Jackson is charged with attempted grand theft and conspiracy to commit grand theft.