Cops: Theft suspect returns to scene, arrested

A Queens man was arrested Monday, charged with stealing credit cards from "unwary victims" and then using them to make purchases, after detectives who were at a gas station/convenience store to investigate recognized him when he returned to the store, police said.

Gregory Scott, 57, of Seagirt Boulevard in Far Rockaway, was arrested at a Gulf gas station on Sunrise Highway in Copiague Monday at 3 p.m. by detectives who were at the scene to review surveillance video, but recognized him from earlier video they had seen, Nassau County police said Tuesday.

That earlier video showed a prior theft at a different location committed using a stolen credit card, police said.

Scott was arrested at the scene and charged with eight counts of second-degree forgery, eight counts of first-degree identity theft, four counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, fourth-degree grand larceny and petit larceny. He is scheduled for arraignment Tuesday in First District Court in Hempstead.

Police said Scott stole the cards from shoppers at various retail locations in Nassau and later used the cards to make "numerous purchases," including at the Gulf station, a Target store and even for tickets on the Long Island Rail Road.

With Patricia Kitchen