Local

Server at Chili's accused of stealing card numbers

Investigators say a server at a DeLand Chili's restaurant stole customers' bank card numbers and went on a shopping spree.

They said Niquarus Rawls managed to rack up $24,000 before he was caught.

WFTV's Jeff Deal talked to one of the victims on Tuesday. She said she went to lunch at the Chili's with her daughter the Friday before Mother's Day and used her debit card.

Two days later, on Mother's Day, she found out someone else was using her card number.

Detectives said Rawls stole the bank card numbers of several customers, including Elayne Singer.

"We were coming back from the beach. I got a phone call from the fraud department at my bank," said Singer.

The bank wanted to know if she had recently made three purchases at the Champs Sports inside the Seminole Town Center Mall in Sanford. And she had not.

Investigators said once Rawls had the bank card numbers from Chili's customers, he would take them to Sharia Garcia, who worked at Champs.

Garcia would key in the numbers and allow Rawls to make large purchases, more than $24,000 worth.

Plus, investigators said, he bought several gift cards.

Singer got hit for nearly $3,000, money taken directly from her account. She didn't get her money back for nearly a week.

"If that would have been my rent money or mortgage payment and it would take a week to get it back, that could devastate you," said Singer.

While she tries not to let it bother her, she does now think twice about using her cards, and she's glad to finally hear investigators nabbed the people they think are behind all her frustration.

"Oh, I'm so glad they caught them. I really am because it's so low to do that to somebody," she said.

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