Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies have apprehended 22-year-old Justin Johnson following a grand theft investigation at the Ace Hardware located at 1218 Finley Ave in Davenport.
The investigation began on Monday, April 27, 2026, when the store owner noticed a pattern of unusually large refund amounts during the preceding week.
According to investigators, fraudulent transactions ranging from $400 to $1,500 occurred between April 18 and April 26. The total fraudulent charges amounted to roughly $7,897.81.
Deputies studied surveillance footage and identified Johnson, the store’s assistant manager, as the person executing the transactions.
Johnson allegedly made bogus sales and processed returns at his register, then used his phone at the payment terminal to deposit the returned money into his personal account.
The business owner notified deputies that Johnson abruptly left his employment on Sunday, April 26, 2026. Following the investigation, officers arrested Johnson and charged him with grand theft of more than $5,000 but less than $10,000 (F3) and defrauding to get property worth less than $20,000.
“This was a clear case of an employee abusing his position for personal gain,” stated Sheriff Grady Judd. “I’m proud of our deputies’ quick work and grateful to the business owner for reporting the suspicious activity.” We will always support our local businesses and punish offenders accountable.
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