Police have linked a Gilbert man to dozens of video game thefts from Target stores around the East Valley.
Court records show that one man is responsible for 45 thefts of video games since January, costing Target nearly $10,000 in loss and damages.
Gilbert police report that they were contacted by Target security on June 2, regarding a unknown man who stole $7,000 worth of video games on 30 different occasions.
On June 20, Target security was able to get a license plate number of a vehicle used in several of the thefts. Police traced the vehicle to a home in Mesa, and used pawn records to identify two suspects, including 34-year-old Jason Reece McCleve.
Three days later, a surveillance detail spotted the vehicle with McCleve inside. The car was seen traveling to a Gilbert Target store near Val Vista Drive and Warner Road.
Police alerted the store, who spotted McCleve on video cutting security cords on four video games and trying to leave the store. Detectives converged on him and found the games stuck in the waistband of his pants.
McCleve has been charged with 45 counts of theft and 7 counts of trafficking stolen property.
